New Growth Plan of EC Proposes EUR 6 Billion for Western Balkans

Within the New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans of the European Commission, the securing of EUR 6 billion for the region is proposed, of which EUR 2 billion as grants, whereas EUR 4 billion are favorable loans for the coming period of three years, and the money would be paid to the countries in line with the achieved results, stated the head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret.

The New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is the document prepared by the European Commission as a proposition for the member countries and the European Parliament for how to integrate the Western Balkans region into the single market of the EU even before the candidate countries become EU members, Giaufret said.

– The New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans of the European Commission recognizes the needs of the economies and the countries of the region to enter the single market of the European Union as soon as possible, even before the full membership, and in order to maintain our economies and competitiveness, but also the competitiveness of the European industry – said Marko Cadez, the president of the CCIS, at the presentation of the EC’s Serbia Report 2023 and the New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

Giaufret said that it was important not just for the citizens, but also for the business sector, so that they would be able to feel the benefits of the single market even before the countries themselves became full EU members.

– The precondition for integration into the single market of the European Union is for the countries of the region to economically integrate by themselves following all the standards which exist in the EU – Giaufret emphasized.

He added that their estimates said that the integration of all the countries in the region into the single market could lead to an increase in the GDPs of all the regional economies by 10%.

Cadez announced that the first talks about the further implementation of the Plan at the level of the countries of the Western Balkans would be had in early December.

– What is important is that the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans envisages a methodology which would enable the countries of this region to handle the money coming from Brussels differently and to plan their reforms and the adaptations of their economies, the green transition and bigger funds, in the way European companies do it – he said, as announced on the CCIS website.

Delegacija Evropske unije u Republici Srbiji Beograd

Privredna komora Srbije

European Commission

EU Delegation to Serbia

Emanuele Giaufret

Chamber of Commerce of Serbia

CCIS

Marko Cadez

Growth Plan for the Western Balkans