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Image: Stefan Boness/IPON/picture alliance

Western Balkans

The Western Balkans is a political term used for six countries in southeastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. None of these countries are members of the EU.

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All Content on this topic

West Balkan flas aside an EU flag

'2025 is ambitious for Western Balkans to join EU'

Tensions in the Western Balkans can only be overcome if all countries there join bloc, says EU expansion chief.
PoliticsApril 17, 2018
Albanian writer Anila Wilms

My Europe: How realistic is 2025?

It takes decades for societies to adopt a new value system, says writer Anila Wilms.
SocietyMarch 26, 2018
Tear gas in Kosovo's parliament

Tear gas stops Kosovo border deal vote

Kosovo's border agreement with Montenegro is seen as crucial to the country's EU hopes, but has enraged nationalists.
PoliticsMarch 21, 2018
A person straightening the flags of Western Balkan nations

EU ministers to lay out security strategy for Balkans

The EU has formally outlined its hopes for Western Balkan accession to the bloc by 2025.
PoliticsMarch 8, 2018
Jean-Claude Juncker in Skopje

Juncker looks for progress in western Balkans

Jean-Claude Juncker has told DW he is stressing substance over speed on his trip to six western Balkans EU hopefuls.
PoliticsFebruary 28, 2018
Head shot of a man (Zoran Arbutina) with gray hair and a beard

The wrong move for the wrong reasons

Zoran Arbutina
Jean-Claude Juncker should be careful on his western Balkans tour to discuss the prospects of six states joining the EU.
PoliticsFebruary 25, 2018
Krsto Lazarevic

EU reneging on vow to Western Balkans?

Krsto Lazarevic
In 2003, the EU promised that all Western Balkan countries could one day become member states. It's time to make good.
PoliticsFebruary 10, 2018
Federica Mogherini

EU eyes western Balkans expansion

Brussels hopes to be able to add western Balkan states to the EU by 2025, but a number of obstacles stand in the way.
PoliticsFebruary 6, 2018
Picture of Jean-Claude Juncker

Juncker: Bulgaria will deliver results for Europe

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker explains why he has such high expectations for Bulgaria's EU presidency.
PoliticsJanuary 11, 2018
Macedonian president Zoran Zaev and EU Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini walk down a hallway at the European Commission

Macedonia optimistic on NATO membership in 2018

Macedonia is keen to join some of its western Balkan neighbors in the military alliance, but challenges remain.
PoliticsDecember 7, 2017
Kosovo erklärt Unabhängigkeit 2008

The western Balkans: A region of secessions

The Catalan referendum has been closely followed in the former Yugoslavia, where separatist movements are still active.
PoliticsOctober 4, 2017
DW Zitattafel Ana Brnabic Englisch

'Germany is a model for us'

Serbian prime minister, Ana Brnabic, writes that Germany's support for her country is hugely important.
PoliticsSeptember 18, 2017
The flags of Macedonia and Serbia

Serbia and Macedonia: A Balkan thriller

Serbia has withdrawn envoys to neighboring Macedonia – apparently for reasons of security. Observers suspect otherwise.
PoliticsAugust 24, 2017
Mike Penice in Podgorica, Montenegro

US urges Balkans to turn away from Russia

US Vice President Mike Pence advised the Western Balkans to look westward for peace and stability
PoliticsAugust 3, 2017
Westbalkan-Konferenz in Berlin

'Frozen conflicts must be resolved' in Balkans

Ahead of the Trieste summit, DW asks an expert about the EU's role in Balkan economic and political modernization.
PoliticsJuly 12, 2017
Westbalkan Gipfel in Sarajevo

'Risk of something happening' in Balkans

This week in Sarajevo, Balkan leaders discussed the EU's regional prospects and motives for its cooperation initiatives.
PoliticsMarch 17, 2017
Mazedonien EU Federica Mogherini mit Gjorge Ivanov in Skopje

EU aims at keeping Balkan ties close

At the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, officials expressed their desire to keep Russian influence out of the Balkans.
PoliticsMarch 10, 2017
Projekt Digital Empowerment für afghanische Flüchtlinge

Seeking EU leadership on migration issues

EU governments have re-elected Donald Tusk as humanitarians call for more leadership from all sides.
PoliticsMarch 9, 2017
Flüchtlinge am kroatisch-slowenischen Grenzübergang Harmica Rigonce

Austria, allies to plug Balkan refugee route

Ministers from 15 countries agreed to devise measures to ensure that a common overland route for refugees remains shut.
PoliticsFebruary 8, 2017
Symbolbild Serbien Presse

'Enemies of the state'

Human Rights Watch criticizes attacks on independent journalists in the Balkans.
PoliticsDecember 2, 2016
Sarajevo Brücke mit Moschee

Will Brexit affect EU enlargement in the Balkans?

Bosnia has lifted a key blockage on its road to EU membership. But it faces other serious obstacles, says Alida Vracic.
July 18, 2016
Refugee camp in Bavaria

Fewer refugees - still plenty to do

The refugee crisis can be seen in the challenges posed by arriving refugees and the processing time.
April 8, 2016
EU and Turkish flags

Eastern Europe says 'no'

Several eastern EU states reject the EU-Turkey refugee agreement.
March 16, 2016
Syrische Flüchtlinge an der türkisch-syrischen Grenze

'Turkey's suggestion is fair'

The refugee crisis is building bridges between Greece and Turkey, says Southeast Europe expert Gerald Knaus.
March 13, 2016
A woman holds a baby as migrants and refugees stand facing Greek police

Western Balkans nervously await EU-Turkey summit

Countries along the Balkan route are hoping Germany will find a solution to the refugee crisis.
March 5, 2016
Symbolbild Waffen Waffenhandel Waffenlieferung Rüstung Rüstungsexport

Balkan arms find buyers in Western Europe

Most of the illegal weapons on Europe's black market come from the Balkans.
December 5, 2015
Symbolbild Abschiebung

What happens to rejected asylum applicants?

The right to asylum in Germany is set down by the county's constitution, in Article 16a.
September 20, 2015

Tougher laws against migrants from the Balkans

Asylum applications submitted by migrants from the Western Balkans are generally refused in Germany.
September 20, 2015
Balkankonferenz in Wien

EU leaders 'shaken' by discovery of migrant bodies

European leaders have called for urgent solutions after up to 70 dead refugees were found in a truck in Austria.
August 28, 2015
Dragoslav Dedovic Kommentarbild App

What won't be said

Dragoslav Dedovic
The Western Balkans summit will be a clash of clichés, says DW's Dragoslav Dedovic.
August 26, 2015
Sibenik Kroatien

EU expansion

If the western Balkan states were admitted to the EU, it would be beneficial to both sides, says State Minister Michae
April 8, 2015
A Serbian family sits on a couch, watching TV

Doubts about Western Balkans as 'safe countries of origin'

The German Green Party is trying to block the designation of three Balkan countries as "safe."
September 19, 2014
Flagge der EU

'Clear prospect' for joining EU

Balkan states have a “clear prospect” of joining the European Union, says Germany’s chancellor. But first, Merkel says, progress must be made to improve the rule of law, safeguard civil liberties and fight corruption.
June 7, 2014
A worker using dated technology in a factory in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Photo: Emir Musli, DW)

EU crisis infects Balkans

The EU’s financial and economic crisis has severely affected the Western Balkans.
December 2, 2013
closed door with German and french flags

Enlargement Fatigue?

Western Balkan nations came knocking on the EU's door but found it bolted by France and Germany.
March 28, 2009