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Under the theme “Security and Growth in Partnership,” European leaders and Western Balkan partners gathered in London on 22 October 2025 for the Summit of the Berlin Process, hosted by the United Kingdom. The meeting brought together the heads of government from the six Western Balkan economies Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, alongside European Union, United Kingdom and other European partners.
Find below key conclusions in economic growth, sustainable development, digital transformation, education, and research cooperation.
Economic Growth and Regional Integration
- Leaders reiterated that good governance and rule of law remain the foundation of sustainable economic progress.
- Strengthening regional economic cooperation through the Common Regional Market (CRM) and Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) was highlighted as essential for competitiveness, deeper convergence with the EU, and gradual integration into the EU Single Market.
- The Summit underlined the importance of infrastructure investment and strategic partnerships. The EU committed over €37 billion under the current financial framework, complemented by the UK’s £24 billion through UK Export Finance for key infrastructure and innovation projects.
Green and Sustainable Growth
- The Summit adopted several Green Agenda outcomes, including the Dubrovnik Declaration, Climate Adaptation Roadmap, and Regional Action Plan on Plastic Pollution Prevention, aligning the region with the European Green Deal.
- Participants recognised that economic and green transitions form a single, coherent agenda, calling for increased investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and green infrastructure to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.
Technology and Digital Transformation
- Leaders welcomed the results of the Western Balkans Digital Summit, notably the creation of a Platform on Regional Digital Identity Wallets and Interoperability of Trust Services, aiming to harmonise regional digital standards and enhance cross-border e-services.
- The Western Balkans reaffirmed commitment to improving the digital business environment, expanding broadband infrastructure, enhancing administrative capacity, and continuing efforts to reduce roaming fees with the EU.
- Participants recognised the strategic importance of cybersecurity, supporting the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre in Podgorica and initiatives for cyber diplomacy and resilience.
Education, Research and Innovation
- Leaders praised the continuation of the Berlin Process Joint Science Conferences, co-organised by the German National Academy Leopoldina and the UK’s Royal Society, as vital platforms for advancing science diplomacy and academic collaboration.
- The Summit stressed the need to strengthen universities and research institutions as “pillars of democracy and engines of competitiveness,” calling for sustained investment in research infrastructures, capacity development, and integration into European research frameworks.
- Participants recognised academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and mobility for young researchers (including from the diaspora) as core elements for developing knowledge economies.
Skills, Employment and Education
- The Summit endorsed continued regional cooperation on active labour market policies, labour rights, and social dialogue, with Germany and the Western Balkans leading the development of a regional work plan on employment and social policies.
- Leaders also committed to skills development for green and digital sectors, particularly targeting youth, women, and Roma communities to foster inclusion and employability.
- The Gender Equality Forum launched a Women’s Economic Empowerment Call to Action, pledging to expand access to finance for women-led SMEs and strengthen the care economy to enable greater participation of women in the workforce.
By participating as equal partners in this 2025 Summit, the Western Balkans underlined their ambition to shift from being participants to active contributors in Europe’s policy, research and innovation frameworks. The gathering underlined that sustainable growth and security for the region go hand-in-hand with deeper integration into European systems.