scholarly journals Alignment with EU Regulations in the Field of the Competition Policy and System of State Aid in Western Balkan Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-191
Author(s):  
Boban Stojanović ◽  
Zorana Kostić ◽  
Vladan Vučić
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Competition Policy ◽  
Efficient Frontier ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Competition Authority ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
Balkan Countries ◽  
Abuse Of Dominant Position

Abstract The underying idea behand the foundation of the European Union is a single, integrated and competitive market. The future of the entire Western Balkans region (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) lies within the European Union. The main purpose of this paper is to explore the multiplicative effects of the alignment of European Union regulations with the competition policy in Western Balkan countries. In addition, the paper is designed to highlight the specific issues, challenges in this field, and provides an overview of empirical trends. A combination of qualitative and quantitative approach proposes methodological framework which recognizes different economic environments and regulatory frameworks. By comparing selected economic indicators related to competiton authorities (number of staff in the national authorities, annual budget of the national authorities, number of prohibited agreements, abuse of dominant position, notification of concentrations, opinions), the authors give a reliable basis for comparative progress analysis in this filed. Using multi-criteria optimization as a key method, as well as network and input-output display, the obtained results suggest country whose competition authority is efficient frontier. The significance of this research stems from the current debate whether the harmonized competition policy should speed up and facilitate the process of the accession of new member states to the European Union.

scholarly journals Unia Europejska wobec Bałkanów Zachodnich w kontekście kryzysu migracyjnego w latach 2015‑2019

Politeja ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3(66)) ◽  
pp. 157-169
Author(s):  
Wawrzyniec Banach
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Balkan Countries ◽  
Research Goal ◽  
Accession Process ◽  
Migration Crisis ◽  
The Eu

European Union towards Western Balkans in the Context of Migration Crisis 2015‑2019 The aim of the article is to analyse the actions taken by the European Union towards the Western Balkans in the context of the migration crisis. The study assumes that the migration crisis was an important factor accelerating the accession process of the Western Balkan countries to the European Union. In order to fulfil the research goal, an analysis of sources (European Union documents) was conducted. The paper uses elements of the theory of the regional security complex as a theoretical framework. Firstly, the activities of the European Union before the migration crisis are discussed. Next, the paper focuses on presenting the course of the crisis on the Western Balkan route. The further part of the study discusses the actions taken by the EU towards the countries of the Western Balkans in response to the migration crisis.

scholarly journals SOLIDARITY CHECK IN TIMES OF COVID-19. ANALYSIS OF THE EU APPROACH TOWARDS ITS CLOSEST NEIGHBOURS WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON MONTENEGRO

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Đurić ◽  
Bojana Lalatović
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Governance System ◽  
Member States ◽  
Balkan Countries ◽  
The Eu

Solidarity as one of the cornerstone values of the European Union has been once again seated on the red chair and intensively discussed within the European Union and broader. After the economic recession and migrant crisis that marked the last two decades, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has once again harshly tested the fundamental objectives and values of the European Union and the responsiveness and effectiveness of its governance system on many fronts. In April, 2020 several EU Member States were among the worst affected countries worldwide and this situation soon became similar in their closest neighbourhood. It put a huge pressure on the EU to act faster, while at the same time placing this sui generis community to the test that led to revealing its strengths and weaknesses. As it happened in the previous crises, the Union launched policies and various programmes that were meant to lessen the burden of the Member States and aspiring countries caused by the crises. The objectives of the mentioned soft law instruments that the EU adopted during the COVID-19 crisis has been not only to show that EU law is equipped to react to health and economic crises rapidly but to deliver its support in terms of solidarity to its Member States and its closest neighbours facing the unprecedented health and economic crisis. This article will explore the value and implication of the solidarity principle in times of Covid-19 in its various manifestations. A special focus will be on the financial and material aspects of the EU instruments created to combat the negative consequences of the pandemic and their further impact on shaping the solidarity principle within the EU system. While examining the character and types of these mechanisms a special focus will be placed on those available to Western Balkan countries, whereas Montenegro as the “fast runner” in the EU integration process will be taken as a case study for the purpose of more detailed analyses. One of the major conclusions of the paper will be that although the speed of the EU reactions due to highly complex structure of decision making was not always satisfying for all the actors concerned, the EU once again has shown that it is reliable and that it treats the Western Balkan countries as privileged partners all for the sake of ending pandemic and launching the socio-economic recovery of the Western Balkans. Analytical and comparative methods will be dominantly relied upon throughout the paper. This will allow the authors to draw the main conclusions of the paper and assess the degree of solidarity as well as the effectiveness of the existing EU instruments that are available to Montenegro and aimed at diminishing negative consequences of the crisis.

scholarly journals THE WESTERN BALKANS: ECONOMIC POTENTIALS AND LABOUR MARKET GAPS ON THE SUSTAINABLE PATH TO EUROPEAN UNION

2018 ◽  
pp. 59-72
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Eu Membership ◽  
Pearson Coefficient ◽  
Balkan Countries

One of the main aims of the paper is to estimate how sustainable is the transition of Western Balkans to the European union and to present scenario analysis for this region. The new momentum for real chance of success in accession process towards European Union depends on both economic results and political will of the governing bodies. In this respect, more flexible and differentiated approach towards the Western Balkans is required to enable the exploitation of economic potentials and reduction labour market gaps. Western Balkan Countries’ ability to assume obligations of EU membership are summarized by using selected indicators which indicate the readiness of each country to integrate and to harmonize economic system. Taking into account the six transition qualities (Competitive, Well-governed, Green, Inclusive, Resilient, Integrated),the ranking of the Western Balkans countries was performed. By calculating the Pearson coefficient for economic potential (measured by GDP per capita) and the labor market indicator (Average monthly gross wages) in the period 2012-2017. for six Western Balkan countries, it is concluded that there is strong positive correlation between them. The basic research question which has been tested during the research is whether country rank based on transition qualities, respond to country rank based on labour market indicators (such as Average monthly gross wages).

scholarly journals The Eu Enlargement. How to be Like the Irish and not the Greek?

ECONOMICS ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-58
Author(s):  
Tahir Mahmutefendic
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
Developmental Level ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Rich Club ◽  
Balkan Countries ◽  
The Eu

Abstract Apart from the former EFTA members (Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and a few former republics of the Soviet Union (Bjelorussia, Moldova and Ukraina) the countries of the Western Balkans are the only European states outside of the European Union. They are very keen to join the Union. The Balkans have always been the poorest part of Europe. The appeal of the wealthy European Union is apparent. Access to the largest market in the world, investment, modern technologies and generous regional funds give a hope that by joining the EU the Western Balkans countries will join the rich club. At the moment performance of the Western Balkan countries does not guarantee that they will become rich by joining the European Union. Their current production and trade structure makes it likely that the Western Balkan countries will be locked in inter-industry trade in which they will export products of low and medium technological and developmental level and import products of high technological and developmental level. This might lead to divergence rather than convergence between them and the European Union. In other to overcome this problem the Western Balkan countries need to conduct radical reforms in the public sector, fiscal policy, industrial trade and investment policy. They also need to tackle corruption, simplify administrative procedure, strenghten property rights and the lawful state. All this with the aim to change economic structure and shift from achievements of the second and third to fourth technological revolution. Only if these reforms are successfuly implemented the Western Balkan countries can hope to avoid the Greek scenario and possibly experience the Irish scenario.

scholarly journals Analysis of the alignment of public policies development in the Western Balkan countries with the European Union standards

2021 ◽  
pp. 31-45
Author(s):  
Nevenko Vranješ
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
European Union ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Business Community ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Balkan Countries

The process of creation, development, adoption and enforcement of public policy presents an exceptionally challenging issue for several reasons. First of all, public policies are used to identify and resolve certain social problems and social issues, them being their primary aim. Furthermore, public policy articulates the aims of governing political subject, through which they strive to realize their programs. And finally, public policy satisfies certain needs of citizens and business community. It is therefore very difficult to achieve the full correlation of these three goals while simultaneously fulfill all genuine needs of society and ideological and political goals of governing elites. Something like this presents a challenge in the complex societies of post-conflict and countries of post-socialist transition, as Western Balkans countries are considered to be. Namely, for many decades such environments had a narrowly set and monolithic approach to the projection of public policy, though the concept of their strategic planning was radically revised a decade ago and entered into a completely different qualitative and quantitative phase. The subject of this paper is the Analysis of the alignment of public policies development in the Western Balkan countries with the European Union standards. The paper will envelop a brief review of public policy adoption process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania. The pillar in the presentation of the said countries constitutes the existing criteria and tools which were projected and evaluated by SIGMA-OECD organization, with the aim to converge public administrations of Western Balkans countries with European administrative region. The paper uses the methods of legal exegesis, content analysis, comparative methods, principles and indicators of SIGMA-OECD, and provides an empirical review of the assessment of the situation conducted on the given thematic by the said organization.

scholarly journals Evolution of foreign policy priorities of the Western Balkan countries in the context of their European and Euro-Atlantic

2021 ◽  
pp. 143-157
Author(s):  
Mariana Echimovich ◽  
Vitaliy Alekseevich Danilov ◽  
Zarina Fazlitdinovna Mardonova ◽  
Maxim Kirillovich Karpukhin
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Balkan Countries

This article traces the evolution of foreign policy priorities of the Western Balkan countries in the context of their European and Euro-Atlantic integration over the period from the mid-1990s to 2020. The key goal lies in the analysis of formation and development of the European and Euro-Atlantic vectors in foreign policy of the Western Balkans. The relevance of the selected topic is defined by fact that all Western Balkan countries are somehow involved in the European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes, which prompts transformations in their home and foreign policy. In post-Cold War era, the Western Balkans depart from their foreign policy course, which they have followed since the end of the World War II. The conflicts that were related to dissolution of Yugoslavia underline the expansion of influence of the North Atlantic Alliance as the major “peacekeeper”, and the European Union, which took on the role of post-conflict settlement. In the under their influence. Tracing the evolution of foreign policy priorities of the Western Balkans within the framework of their European and Euro-Atlantic integration defines the scientific novelty of this research. The acquired conclusions can be implemented in theoretical and practical activity. The article explores the regional initiatives of NATO and EU, which were aimed at stabilization of the Western Balkan region through transformation of state and social institutions, development of interstate cooperation, and involvement in regional integration processes. For determination of the role of the European Union and NATO in foreign policy of the Western Balkans, the author analyzed the doctrinal documents of the Western Balkan countries, which highlighted the priority of European and Euro-Atlantic vector.

scholarly journals Towards European Union or Regional Economic Area: Western Balkans at Crossroads

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-17
Author(s):  
Gazmend Qorraj
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Specific Model ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Regional Economic ◽  
Economic Area ◽  
Balkan Countries ◽  
The Eu

Abstract The aim of the paper is to reflect upon the dilemma or whether the EU will continue the integration process in the Western Balkans or backlash on regional cooperation instruments and initiatives within the framework of the Western Balkans. The Regional Economic Area (REA) is analyzed as the more recent policy of the European Union for the remaining Balkan countries. It is crucial to analyze the idea behind REA, starting from two main assumptions: first, the creation of REA stemmed from EU internal challenges; and second, REA came up as a creative EU approach in efforts to find a specific model for reforms in the Western Balkans in the frame of regional institutions. The paper also discusses regional trade and specifically the role of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in coordinating these initiatives in the Western Balkans. Taking into consideration the EU current challenges as well as difficulties of the Western Balkan countries to overcome the political and economic problems, then regional cooperation could appear as an alternative to the EU integration process for the Western Balkans. The main conclusion of this paper is that the Western Balkans needs the EU’s direct support, in particular, since RCC and other regional instruments cannot enforce, support and monitor the initiatives and reforms in the region.

scholarly journals Definition of Enterprises in the European Union, Western Balkans and Kosovo

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-73
Author(s):  
Vlora Prenaj ◽  
Hysen Ismajli
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽  
Economic Power ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Balkan Countries ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Large Enterprises

Abstract The aim of the present study is to review the definitions of the enterprises in the European Union, Western Balkans and Kosovo. The study also proposes the classification and comparison of small, medium-sized and large enterprises in the European Union, Western Balkan countries, such as Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and in Kosovo. The study has been performed using the legal, economic, comparative and practice methodology. The results of the study suggest that states should have control over the categorization of enterprises, so the enterprises with higher economic power cannot have the opportunity to hurt those with lesser economic power, all based on the regulation law and its implementation in practice.

WESTERN BALKANS’ ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE EUROPEAN INTEGRATION PROCESSES

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 116-121
Author(s):  
Maria A. Maksakova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
European Integration ◽  
European Commission ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Balkan Countries ◽  
The Common ◽  
Integration Stage

The article examines the state of the Western Balkans’ economies in the pre-2020 period (before the COVID-XNUMX pandemic), highlights the key problems that impede more dynamic development of the region, assesses the role of the European Union at the pre-integration stage of the Balkan countries’ inclusion into the common European space. The author pays special attention to considering the issues of economic development of Serbia through the prism of European integration processes, which the country is actively involved in. Based on the European Commission reports, an analysis of the compliance of the achieved indi-cators with the Copenhagen criteria and the articles of the negotiation dossier is carried out.

The Berlin Process. Bringing the Western Balkan Region Closer to the European Union

Südosteuropa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Christina Griessler
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Eu Enlargement ◽  
The Political ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Political Activities ◽  
New Energy ◽  
Western Balkan Region ◽  
Slow Progress ◽  
Proactive Measures

AbstractFor the countries of the Western Balkans, the path to membership in the European Union (EU) has been particularly tortuous. Its slow progress has created frustration among applicant countries. In 2014 Germany, stepping into the political void that had formed, inaugurated what has come to be known as the Berlin Process, an initiative aimed at injecting new energy into the dormant EU enlargement process. The author examines the political activities initiated between 2014 and 2019, analysing the official documentation of the Berlin Process along with publications such as policy papers and media commentaries. She concludes that although meaningful and proactive measures have been taken, such efforts have not been successful in persuading or enabling the Western Balkan states to implement the political and economic reforms required for EU accession.

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