HOW TO BRIDGE THE TRUST GAP TO DRIVE THE WESTERN BALKANS’ EU INTEGRATION - As leaders convene in Skopje for a summit on the EU’s new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, this public event explores the implications of the Growth Plan and assesses its potential to deepen regional cooperation and reinvigorate the enlargement process. Following on the heels of the release of the Europe Center’s new report on the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, this event examines whether the EU’s approach can deliver tangible benefits, foster political will, and counter malign external influence at a time of heightened geopolitical competition. Beyond the Growth Plan, the panel also touches on the skepticism around enlargement writ large, felt both in Brussels and EU capitals and in the Western Balkans.
This event is part of the Europe Center’s #BalkansForward Initiative, which promotes the Western Balkans’ political and economic advancement through Euro-Atlantic integration.

ORIGINAL RECORD DATE: 07/01/2025
ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 07/02/2025