This note examines the grants and loans provided by the European Union (EU) and China to the Western Balkan economies. The EU remains dominant in grant funding, with annual Instrument for Preaccession Assistance (IPA) grants averaging 0.8% of the region's GDP, far above the 0.02% of GDP from...

The enlargement of the European Union towards the Western Balkans is experiencing unprecedented dynamism, supported by the launch of a tailored Euro 6 billion growth plan. This renewed momentum offers an important opportunity for the Western Balkans to accelerate economic convergence with the...

In the context of the push by the European Union for regional integration in the Western Balkans, this paper explores the barriers to, and prospects for, deeper intra-Western Balkan economic relationships. First, it addresses the pronounced bilateral economic relationships between Western Balkan...

This unique insight into the corporate investment in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe (CESEE) examines companies' finance needs and the constraints they face. The 2024 edition also provides insight into the pressing issues facing firms, such as climate change, high energy costs and the...

The report presents key data on several selected areas, such as the skillsets required to perform jobs among adult workers, their exposure to digitalisation, and its impact on skills needs and mismatches. Moreover, it also analyses workers' views on how technology may relate to either labour...

This report, aligned with the JRC's efforts under the Global Gateway strategy as EU flagship investment plan underpinning the external dimension of EU policy across the world, provides insights into Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) collaboration in the Western Balkans, crucial...

Digital transformation significantly impacts all aspects of the economic system, particularly the functioning of monetary policy and the financial sector. As a key process in modernization, digital transformation encompasses innovations that enable faster, safer and more efficient financial...

The evolving macroeconomic landscape, shaped by the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, poses significant challenges for economies worldwide. However, Central, Eastern, and Southeastern European (CESEE) countries have demonstrated resilience and rapid recovery during crises,...

The Western Balkans' annual economic growth slowed markedly in the first quarter of 2025. The region's real GDP growth moderated to 2.3% y-o-y in Q1-2025 from 3.3% in the preceding quarter. All economies recorded lower growth than in the previous three months, with Serbia, the largest economy in...