THE BERLIN PROCESS SUMMIT TEN YEARS ON: LESSONS LEARNED AND NEXT STEPS FOR THE WB6 - Initiated in 2014, the Berlin Process was designed to be an inclusive platform to increase cooperation and regional economic integration across the Western Balkan Six (WB6) countries. Centering around yearly Summits between WB6 political leaders, civil society, and private sector stakeholders, anchored by the German government’s chairmanship, the Berlin Process has been lauded for its international convening power and progress on key agreements and reforms for the region, such as the Common Regional Market (CRM).

On October 14, 2024, the upcoming Berlin Process Summit, taking place in Berlin, has set ambitious goals, including a “deepening” of the CRM, aligning the Green Agenda with the European Green Deal, incentivizing business development for potential investors, and improving cooperation on issues ranging from transportation infrastructure, to cybersecurity resilience, and management of immigration and organized crime.

Now celebrating its ten-year anniversary, what are the lessons learned for the Berlin Process since 2014? What have been the main successes and challenges to date? And what is the role of the new EU Growth Plan in attaining the region’s goals through the Berlin Process?

The Atlantic Council’s Europe Center hosts an expert panel two weeks out from the summit in Berlin to dive deeper into the history and assess the future outlook of the Berlin Process.

This event is part of the Europe Center’s #BalkansForward Initiative, which promotes the region’s political and economic advancement through Euro-Atlantic integration.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 10/04/2024