Western Balkans in Transition

This is the sixth issue of the “Western Balkans in Transition” and its main purpose is to give an overview of recent macroeconomic and structural developments in the countries of the Western Balkan region. The first part of the issue includes contributions on various topics that represent a common challenge for all the economies, while the second part features a country-by-country economic assessment.

The structure of the horizontal part of the issue is as follows:

- a section presenting a regional overview - 'Sustained growth in the Western Balkans';- a section on 'Economic Growth and Government in the Western Balkans';- a section on 'Regulatory Policies and Economic Growth in Transition Economies'; and
- a section on 'Export-led growth in South-Eastern Europe?'.

All four sections investigate a central theme - economic growth in the Western Balkans, its current and potential determinants and that is for a good reason. The progress achieved by the countries in their transition towards a market economy and the growing interconnections with the European Union driven by the long-term perspective of EU membership should result in higher productivity and living standards.