BERLIN PROCESS (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, leaders from the European Union and the Western Balkans held a summit in Albania's capital to discuss the path to membership in the bloc for the six countries of the region.

• The main topics at the annual talks — called the Berlin Process — are integrating the Western Balkans into a single market and supporting their green and digital transformation.
• The nations in the region are Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Berlin Process

• A platform for high-level cooperation between the leaders of the 6 Western Balkan countries (WB6).
• The Process also involves the EU institutions, international financial institutions, the region’s civil society, youth and businesses.
• Establishment: 2014
• Objective: Improve connectivity, neighbourly, and interpersonal relationships among WB6 countries.
• Integrate the WB6 countries into a single market.
• Support their green and digital transformation.
• Provide support for the European Union (EU) integration of the WB6 countries.

Balkan Countries

• WB6: Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia
• Balkan Countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Greece, Turkey and WB6.