Economic Convergence Scoreboard for the Western Balkans 2025

The Scoreboard, whose pilot version was first released in 2023, is a tool to monitor and assess the Western Balkans’ progress towards economic convergence with the European Union (EU). It supports policy-makers in pinpointing priority areas for narrowing the gap between the region and the EU, drawing on over 35 indicators across five policy clusters essential for sustainable and inclusive growth. These clusters are infrastructure and connectivity, skills, business environment, digital transformation and greening. The Scoreboard primarily draws on the data and input collected as part of decade-long policy assessments conducted by the OECD, most notably the Western Balkans Competitiveness Outlook and SME Policy Index for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.

Innovation represents the region’s weakest area of performance, as research and development (R&D) investments account for only 17% of the EU average. This low level of expenditure limits the capacity to create and sustain research opportunities that foster advanced skills. While greater public spending on R&D could help build this capacity and stimulate private investment through crowding-in effects, persistently low private R&D spending highlights more systemic issues that need to be prioritised. These include gaps in human capital, an underdeveloped innovation ecosystem and weaknesses in both the broader business environment and firm-level capabilities.

Source: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/economic-convergence-scoreboard-for-the-western-balkans-2025_bc0babf3-en.html