Leaders of the Western Balkans countries have agreed to accelerate the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people in the region.
In a video conference summit on Wednesday, hosted by Atlantic Council, an international affairs think tank based in the US, the leaders of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia committed to eliminating barriers that have hindered economic growth, to focus on attracting foreign direct investment, and allocate COVID-19 recovery funds mainly to infrastructure and energy sectors.
The WB6 will prepare an action plan structured around the four freedoms to be adopted in November in the framework of the Berlin Process. The plan shall aim at deepening regional cooperation, following through on implementation, working regionally, making progress visible to people.
In their joint conclusions, the leaders stressed their countries commitment to European integration, as well as to regional initiatives such as the Regional Economic Area (REA) and the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA).
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who last year pushed for a common regional economic area labeled Mini-Schengen, recommended the leaders meet online monthly to review their progress in promoting the four freedoms.
