Since the late 1990s, the countries of the Western Balkans have been firmly on track to full Euro-Atlantic integration. However, progress has been slower than many had hoped for, with six countries still remaining outside the EU and four yet to join NATO.
The Berlin Process, an initiative launched in 2014, was aimed at maintaining the reform momentum in the region and includes a number of EU member states and the countries of the Western Balkans.
With the fifth summit of the Berlin Process being hosted by the United Kingdom on 10 July 2018, what progress has been achieved so far? Has it provided a useful framework for increased engagement with the region?
In recent years, a number of other actors have also become active players in the Western Balkans. With Russia, China, Turkey and the US all showing interest in the region, what are the geopolitical implications of this increased interest? Could these countries be effective partners for the EU in promoting needed reforms in the region or do they act as spoilers?
On the day of the summit, Chatham House brings together a group of local and regional experts to discuss these and other questions in the context of a wider conversation about the future of the region.
This event is run in partnership with the European Fund for the Balkans and the European Commission.
