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The European Commission announced the sixth investment package within the EU Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, which is expected to mobilise EUR 1.2 billion in investments.
The package will provide support for eight new leading investments in the areas of water supply and sewerage, wastewater treatment, rail transport, innovation, and the green transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises. Investments will be realised in close cooperation with partners from the Western Balkans and international financial institutions.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, emphasised that the EUR 30 billion investment plan for the Western Balkans is being realised with this new package of EUR 1.2 billion.
- “With quality infrastructure, it strengthens regional ties and brings us closer together, which is our ultimate goal. Our partners from the Western Balkans are building their European future. These investments, together with the necessary reforms and access to our single market, will prepare the economies of our partners to join our Union.”
The investment package of EUR 1.2 billion includes EUR 300 million of EU grants from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III), additional bilateral contributions from EU member states and Norway, loans from international financial institutions, and contributions from the economies of the Western Balkans. The package was adopted by the Operational Committee of the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) during a meeting on July 1-2.
New leading investments include three priority areas of the Economic and Investment Plan, namely:
- Environment and climate: Reconstruction and rehabilitation of water supply and sewerage infrastructure in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Sustainable transport: Improvement of the railway infrastructure on Corridor X, with a high-speed connection between Belgrade and Velika Plana, enabling a faster flow of passengers and cargo in the region.
- Support to the business sector: Launching a new instrument for innovation and green transformation of companies in the region.