European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said EU leaders discussed the bloc’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the enlargement process at an EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tivat, Montenegro.
Von der Leyen stated the Growth Plan works by opening parts of the EU Single Market to candidate countries in return for reforms designed to create a “level playing field”, with investment linked to progress on those changes, as cited by the Commission press service on Friday.
The EU has already invested €675 million under the plan and a further €540 million tranche is “on its way,” she said.
Von der Leyen declared that enlargement was “merit-based” but should not be slow, adding that candidate countries that deliver reforms should be able to move forward by opening and closing negotiating “chapters” and “clusters” — stages used to structure talks on adopting EU rules — on their path towards joining.
Leaders gather in Montenegro
Von der Leyen attended the summit alongside European Council President António Costa and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas also taking part.
The meeting brought together leaders from EU member states and the six Western Balkans partners, and was the second such summit in six months following a meeting in Brussels in December.
