1. Recognising the serious security challenges of the current geopolitical situation, particularly Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, we, the WB6 leaders, reaffirm our commitment to strengthening regional cooperation and advancing EU integration.
2. Acknowledging the adoption of the EU Reform and Growth Facility by the European Parliament and the Council and subsequent approval of the respective Reform Agendas by the Commission, we recognise the Facility’s role in further accelerating the EU accession path of the Western Balkans Six by providing additional financial assistance upon the implementation of fundamental reforms, with results which will enhance perspectives for economic growth and prepare us for EU membership.
3. In synergy and cooperation with our EU partners, the implementation of the respective Reform Agendas of each WB 6 partner (and the progress in finalisation of the Reform Agenda in Bosnia and Herzegovina) is well underway, aiming to achieve crucial socio-economic reforms while fostering democracy, fundamental values, and the rule of law as prerequisites for stability and prosperity and good neighbourly relations in the Western Balkan region. We, the WB6 leaders, undertake to build on this good start and intensify our efforts to deliver in full our respective Reform Agenda’s.
4. With the prospect of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, we commit to embracing the opportunities this initiative presents. These include enhanced regional economic cooperation, improved access to EU financial instruments, trade facilitation, integration of industrial supply chains and the facilitation of digital and energy transitions to align with EU standards. Our aim is to facilitate the economic and social transformation of our societies, paving the way for ineluctable full EU membership while adhering to the merit-based principle of accession throughout this process.
5. Recognising the significance of all initial priority areas for access to the EU’s Single Market outlined under Pillar 1 of the Growth Plan, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing regional economic integration through the Common Regional Market Action Plan 2025-2028 (CRM 2). By endorsing the CRM2 in October 2024, we, the WB 6 leaders, have demonstrated our devotion to deepen the regional cooperation in view of consolidating and enhancing competitiveness and economic cooperation. In this regard, we welcome that work on implementing the CRM2 is already well underway. Recognizing the importance of access of all WB6 to the EU and relevant bodies with a view to enhance the region’s economic integration with the European Union’s Single Market and maximising impact of the Common Regional Market. Furthermore, we recognise the pivotal role of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in facilitating negotiations and ensuring effective coordination among all stakeholders involved and the important roles that the RCC, Central European Free Trade Agreement, (CEFTA) and the WB6 Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF), Energy Community, Transport Community, EC and Berlin Process partner governments play in ensuring the implementation of the CRM2. In the same vein, we also commit to ensuring the implementation of all the mobility agreements that we have adopted to date and which are key to enabling the citizens of the Western Balkans Six to work, travel and study across the region.
6. We recognize the need to build on the progress achieved toward integration into the European Union’s Single Market and advancing the four fundamental freedoms, with potential benefits for our economies even before the formal accession date.
7. We, the WB6, reaffirm our commitment to SEPA integration and are actively advancing efforts to align with its requirements. We welcome the historic achievement of four from WB6 - the first enlargement partners ever - in joining the geographical scope of SEPA, and note the efforts undertaken by the rest in fulfilling the criteria to join as soon as possible. Our common objective is to have all the WB 6 actively applying SEPA payment schemes and become operationally ready as soon as possible. We recognise that challenges remain, particularly in aligning financial regulatory frameworks with EU standards, ensuring full interoperability within the regional banking sector and direct access to payment infrastructure systems. We welcome the creation of the SEPA implementation steering group bringing together WB 6 Central Bank Governors, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, European Payments Council, the World Bank, and Regional Cooperation Council in order to find solutions to these challenges. We acknowledge that SEPA membership will enhance the credibility of our financial sector internationally and deepen trade relations with the European Economic Area, and commit to supporting these processes also financially.
8. Emphasising the strategic importance of integrated payment systems for regional economic convergence and alignment with the EU’s Single Market, we, together with our partners, including the European Commission and in line with CRM 2 AP, commit to supporting our Central Banks in achieving full integration into the European Central Bank’s TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) system.
9. Acknowledging the substantial reduction of prices brought by the voluntary agreement among 38 telecoms operators from the EU and WB6, we look forward to engaging with the Commission on promptly finding a legal solution to extend the EU’s “roam-like-at-home” regime to the Western Balkans. In addition, we commend the work of the Regional Cooperation Council on expanding the scope of the EU/WB Roaming Declaration thus far.
10. Acknowledging the importance of digital transformation and connectivity, We also welcome the call for proposals for the WiFi4WB initiative, which will increase deployment of broadband internet access in public buildings and urban public spaces and rural areas (grey zones) thus enhancing connectivity in the region, empowering people to communicate, learn, and work online more effectively. This is part of a broader plan to accelerate the digital transition in the region, thereby promoting the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU Digital Single Market. To this end, we welcome the organisation of the Digital Summit for Western Balkans, in cooperation with RCC, to take place in Skopje in October 2025.
11. Recognising the need for improved free movement of goods, the WB 6, the CEFTA Secretariat, and the Transport Community have finalised a Green Lanes Roadmap, thus providing foundation for enhanced intra-CEFTA trade, improved customs cooperation, and modernised border/common crossing points (BCP/CCP). We commit to completing the necessary steps for implementing relevant agreements and undertaking essential investments to achieve the full potential of the Common Regional Market.
12. In line with the Comprehensive Roadmap, the Transport Community, in cooperation with the CEFTA Secretariat, has developed 11 project fiches focusing on major crossing points between the Western Balkan Six and the EU. Full implementation of these fiches could reduce waiting times by up to 70%. We welcome the commitment of the European Commission to make available both technical support to bring the investment projects to maturity and the necessary funding for their realisation and commit to linking up with neighbouring EU Member States to align our procedures on both sides. We reaffirm our commitment to the full implementation of the 11 project fiches and Comprehensive Roadmap and underscore the importance of securing support for the 5 additional project fiches recently completed under the Green Lanes initiative.
13. We commit to completing the Trans-European Networks, which are key to ensure connectivity of the region, regional integration and integration in the EU’s single market. To this end, we will make full use of the available resources, notably through the Western Balkans Investment Framework.
14. Recognising the importance of an efficient mechanism for resolving trade disputes, we commend the adoption of the nine groundbreaking agreements by the CEFTA Parties in October 2024 and of another four agreements on 6 March 2025, designed to transform trade and economic collaboration and we call for the swift ratification of Protocol 7 by all parties. These agreements promise real, tangible benefits—simplifying business operations, creating new job opportunities, and strengthening consumer protections. In this respect, the selection of the Director of the CEFTA Secretariat has become urgent and we will do our utmost to ensure a swift solution so that CEFTA can again operate in a regular manner.
15. Given our priority to gradually integrate into the EU Single Market, we welcome the launch of three new initiatives presented by the Commission. The Single Market Highway initiative brings together a number of strands - strategic alliances, regulatory convergence and strengthening networks between ourselves and the European Union - into a single framework under Pillar 1 of the Growth Plan and will give a fresh impetus to our efforts in each of these areas.
16. With respect to regulatory convergence, the WB 6 and the European Commission will collaborate on Agreements on Conformity Assessment and Acceptance (ACAAs) and the establishment of a Single Market Academy officially launched on 23 June. These initiatives will ensure that domestic systems fully align with EU standards. We welcome the proposed roadmaps and express our readiness to undertake the necessary steps to finalize such agreements. We believe that ACAAs present a crucial opportunity for domestic industries to align with EU internal market rules and principles, ensuring smoother trade integration.
17. We also welcome the Commission’s offer to help facilitate the development of the Western Balkans’ tourism ecosystem by integrating regional tourism stakeholders into EU wide bodies and mechanisms. This would further support the transition towards a greener, more digital and resilient tourism industry and help to boost skills, in line with EU policy. We also welcome the Commission’s offer in the area of consumer protection, which aims to increase consumer safety and to raise consumer rights awareness across the region by strengthening the enforcement capacity of domestic authorities.
18. To contribute to industrial competitiveness and strengthen the EU’s open strategic autonomy, stakeholders from the WB6 have joined the Critical Medicines Alliance. As members of the Alliance, we aspire to play an active role in strengthening and diversifying the supply chains of critical medicines in the EU, enhancing efforts to prevent and address shortages effectively. In recent years, shortages of essential active substances have emerged locally, at the European level, and beyond. In this regard, we welcome the proposed roadmaps and recognise participation in the Critical Medicines Alliance as a significant opportunity for strategic partnership with the EU to improve critical medicine production and availability.
19. We acknowledge the presentation of the main building blocks of the CRM Monitoring Tool that RCC is developing and we support the principle of transparent and objective monitoring of the progress made regionally in implementing the CRM Action Plan 2025-2028.
20. Affirming our commitment to the continuity of this fruitful cooperation, we are pleased to announce that the next meeting of the leaders of the WB6 on the Growth Plan will take place in Tirana. We recognise that the successful implementation of the Growth Plan and our economic progress rely on our continued commitment and cooperation. We stand ready for the next phase of collaboration, which will gradually lead to an efficient Common Regional Market well integrated into the EU Single Market.
21. The WB 6 are committed to intensifying efforts to follow up on past commitments and undertakings. Individually, we must diligently address and eliminate obstacles to common interests arising from this agenda, which we acknowledge as ultimately beneficial for our citizens, economic prosperity, and the European integration of our region. To this end, we commit to ensuring fully functioning regional institutions to drive forward our Common Regional Market and prepare for deeper integration into the EU’s Single Market.
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