Regional cooperation in the Balkans as an essential step towards EU membership: Lessons of Visegrád

Summary:

Bulgaria and Romania, as they work to fulfil the EU accession criteria, are obliged to give high priority to strengthening and fostering cross-border cooperation. The realization that SEE stability depends on regional cooperation is especially important. Bulgaria and Romania are ahead of the Western Balkan states in democratization and integration and may indeed make good guides towards EU accession.

Integration of the Western Balkans has become a priority issue on the EU agenda in the last few years. The lack of a history of regional cooperation, different degrees of economic development, existing trade barriers, violent conflicts, etc. have made the need for cross border activities all the more urgent. There are several broad factors conducive to SEE regional cooperation as a precondition for integrating the Balkans into the EU.

The SEE countries might improve their effectiveness and strengthen and broaden their cross border activities by drawing conclusions from the cooperation model applied in Central and Eastern Europe. The CEE countries made efforts to develop inter-governmental dialogue and foster economic relations by removing trade barriers, synchronizing exports and imports and improving productivity, with an overall impact on their EU preparations. Their example shows that governments of neighbouring countries do well to act in consort instead of isolation.