Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions – Enlargement package 2024 – Western Balkans and Türkiye
Date: 2025-04-02
Institutions: Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs, European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, accession criteria, accession negotiations, pre-accession strategy




C_202503171EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/3171


20.6.2025






Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions – Enlargement package 2024 – Western Balkans and Türkiye
(C/2025/3171)








Rapporteur
 Jean-Luc VANRAES (BE/Renew Europe)
Alderman of Uccle


Reference document
 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Communication on EU enlargement policy
COM (2024) 690
SWD (2024) 690 – SWD (2024) 691 – SWD (2024) 692 – SWD (2024) 693 – SWD (2024) 694 – SWD (2024) 695 – SWD (2024) 696





POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS (CoR),

General comments









1.


acknowledges with keen interest the European Commission’s 2024 Communication on EU enlargement policy and accompanying reports on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (*1), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye, and welcomes the indispensable recommendations and guidance on essential reform priorities contained therein;












2.


underscores the significance of EU enlargement policy in addressing current geopolitical challenges (including the war in Ukraine), and highlights the fresh momentum both for aspiring candidates and EU Member States to unite on the common foundation of democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law. Therefore, in the integration of the Western Balkans countries in particular, it sees a gap to be plugged in order to complete the European community of peace and shared values;












3.


reaffirms its support for the gradual integration of EU candidate countries into selected policy areas, on a merit-based approach that requires commitment to EU values and fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria; expresses concern about recent developments in certain candidate countries, which raise questions as to their commitment to EU values and the rule of law, including the respect for local democracy, such as the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and other local officials in Türkiye; emphasises the need to advance reform agendas under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans ensuring that the EU’s Green Deal objectives prioritise economic development, energy security, energy independence and industrial competitiveness, fostering resilient economies;












4.


urges the European Commission to ensure that candidate countries and potential candidates actively involve local and regional authorities (LRAs) from the outset in implementing the Reform Agendas under the Growth Plan, particularly in strengthening absorption capacities; emphasises that the CoR and its bodies are prepared to support LRAs in achieving this objective through the exchange of good practices; recommends that the Commission strengthens direct engagement and collaboration with existing regional networks, such as NALAS, to foster more effective cooperation; highlights, furthermore, the importance of consulting local and regional authorities when setting funding priorities and preparing projects linked to the Western Balkans Investment Framework;












5.


welcomes the Commission’s decision to extend the annual Rule of Law Report to Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, and notes that any further extension to other selected candidate countries should not interfere with the enlargement process;












6.


notes that effective local and regional self-governance and a thriving local democracy are essential pillars of the checks and balances underpinning the rule of law system and are key to fostering a rule of law culture in the EU Member States and the candidate countries and potential candidates; suggests that issues concerning the rule of law at local and regional levels be addressed within the framework of CoR Working Groups (WGs) and Joint Consultative Committees (JCCs);












7.


commends the Commission’s mention of territorial cooperation, including cross-border cooperation among candidate countries and potential candidates and with neighbouring Member States in key social, economic and environmental sectors, where local municipalities play a leading role;












8.


highlights the indispensable role of LRAs in fostering reconciliation, addressing historical legacies and resolving bilateral issues through dialogue, trust-building and joint cross-border initiatives, promoting locally driven solutions in line with EU principles;












9.


notes with concern that the Commission does not sufficiently recognise the broader role that LRAs play in implementing the EU acquis, including their potential to support candidate countries and potential candidates through capacity-building and by exchanging best practices and monitoring reforms; stresses the importance of amplifying their voices within the EU institutions and involving them in the early phases of EU activities as well as of including them in negotiations on key chapters that have a direct impact on them, not least given that the local and regional levels are responsible for implementing up to 70 % of EU legislation and thus play a key role in aligning candidate countries with EU standards;












10.


calls on the Commission and the Council to consider further integrating JCCs into the EU accession process;












11.


stresses the importance of effective decentralisation in candidate countries in order to fully capitalise on the benefits of the EU accession process; underlines the pivotal role of the CoR in evaluating the state of decentralisation and leveraging its institutional expertise and the practical experience of its members; underlines that decentralisation efforts need to be accompanied by fiscal decentralisation, so that the responsible levels of government are equipped with the financial means to execute their roles;












12.


recognises that it is of paramount importance for candidate countries and potential candidates to fully align with the EU common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and to strengthen their adherence to shared principles and strategic priorities that align with the Strategic Compass and underpin the EU’s external actions; calls candidate countries and potential candidates to fully respect International Law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as part of the EU acquis;












13.


emphasises the key role that LRAs play in combating disinformation and hate speech through (digital) media literacy programmes and by promoting openness and accountability, supporting high-quality local journalism and strengthening networks of fact-checkers; calls for better coordination with national authorities and collaboration with civil society to enhance awareness and build trust through evidence-based communication;












14.


urges the European Commission to strengthen its support for local authorities in addressing environmental and climate change challenges, including the pressing issue of air pollution; highlights the pivotal role that local governments play in aligning with and implementing the EU acquis on environmental protection, and stresses the need for tailored assistance and resources to ensure they can effectively meet these demands; believes that support for local authorities to improve local public services in line with the EU’s environmental protection framework (air quality, water quality and waste management) can help ensure that EU convergence also has more visible and tangible meaning for people in the candidate countries;












15.


highlights LRAs’ essential contribution to disaster and risk prevention, particularly in light of natural disasters that affected several EU Member States and candidate countries and potential candidates in 2024; underlines that LRAs are essential for swift and effective local responses to natural catastrophes and other crises, and highlights the need for improved coordination to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience including through nature-based solutions such as reforestation, wetland restoration, and sustainable water management, as well as through investment in resilient infrastructure, advanced early warning systems and strengthening energy security through diverse and reliable energy sources;












16.


calls for the implementation of projects similar to Albania’s successful ‘Municipalities for Europe’ initiative across the Western Balkan region to enhance local government performance on EU-related matters;












17.


calls on the Commission and candidate countries and potential candidates to combat ‘local state capture’, understood as a local governance system fully or partially usurped by powerful individuals or groups to serve their own particular interests; expresses deep concern over the persistence of unlawful and non-transparent practices, including, among others, patronage-driven appointments in local administrations and public enterprises, misuse of political parties for personal gain, and politically motivated recruitment and promotion of civil servants;





Country-specific observations



ALBANIA










18.


welcomes the creation of a JCC (based on the EU-Albania Stabilisation and Association Council’s decision that entered into force on 1 December 2024) to ensure continuous collaboration between Albanian local and regional authorities and the EU institutions;












19.


commends the Stabilisation and Association Council for having incorporated gender balance and political plurality requirements as regards JCC membership; urges the Albanian authorities to meet gender quotas specifically to ensure fair representation and equal opportunities for women candidates in parliamentary and local elections to promote women’s participation in politics;












20.


calls for continued support for efforts to improve local governments’ ability to carry out their responsibilities in the EU integration process by building up financial resources, administrative capacity and fiscal autonomy to (among other things) benefit from EU financial support;












21.


underscores the need to adopt and start implementing the new public administration reform, including the provisions on merit-based recruitment, promotion and dismissal in civil service law at all levels, including at local level;












22.


highlights the importance of further strengthening measures to combat foreign interference, address information manipulation and enhance societal resilience against hybrid threats; welcomes Albania’s decision to sign a memorandum of understanding in June 2024 to join the European Centre of Excellence for Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE) in Helsinki;












23.


notes with concern the adoption of a broad criminal amnesty law, which has led to pardons and sentence reductions for individuals convicted of serious offenses, raising significant questions about accountability and the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts; calls for targeted risk assessments and concrete measures to combat corruption in high-risk sectors, including within the police, customs, land and property management, state cadastre and public procurement;












24.


underlines the need to strengthen the role of the Consultative Council as the primary forum for institutional dialogue and coordination between central and local governments; highlights the importance of actively involving local government units (LGUs) and local government associations in the early stages of legislative initiatives to ensure better alignment with local needs and priorities;






BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA










25.


calls on Bosnia and Herzegovina to implement the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and Constitutional Court of BiH; urges the authorities to amend electoral law so that the three constituent peoples are legitimately represented in the state institutions and that all citizens can be elected to any institution; Bosnia and Herzegovina can survive and function only as an integral state of the three constituent peoples and other citizens, without an entity’s right to secede and without the unitarisation of the country;












26.


condemns the moves by the leadership of Republika Srpska which are leading to the secession of the entity from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and condemns the disrespecting of the High Representative, as this is contrary to the Dayton Agreement and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and undermines the territorial integrity of the country guaranteed by state and international acts;












27.


underlines the importance to fully respect Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions and the independence of its judiciary and reiterates that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are indisputable; is deeply concerned about decisions by the authorities of the Republika Srpska entity, which undermine the countries constitutional order and calls on withdrawing these decisions immediately;












28.


expresses deep concern about the constrained environment in which civil society operates, particularly in Republika Srpska, including threats and attacks against activists addressing sensitive issues (e.g. anti-corruption, women’s rights, LGBTIQ rights and migrants); urges the authorities to ensure a conducive environment for an independent and diverse civil society;












29.


recommends establishing a JCC with the CoR to ensure the systematic involvement of LRAs (entities, cantons and municipalities) in the EU accession process; calls on the responsible authorities to ensure that a future JCC includes gender balance and political plurality as JCC requirements;












30.


notes the disproportionate underrepresentation of women among leaders of parliamentary parties and in other leadership positions; echoes the Commission’s recommendations to harmonise all legislation with the gender equality law and to enhance women’s public and political participation;












31.


urges the introduction of more capacity-building measures directed at local media (including practical capacity-development tools, media-kits, licences and knowledge products, strategic documents and practical guides) to uphold a healthy media ecosystem; calls for full transparency in funding provided by local authorities, as local media is frequently subjected to political pressure and influence;












32.


emphasises the importance of showcasing local and EU best practices in areas such as educational curricula reform, LRA-owned enterprises and local media to enhance governance capacities and promote sustainable development at the local level;












33.


stresses the urgent need to address technical, administrative and fiscal obstacles imposed by LRAs on businesses in order to improve the local business environment and support economic development;












34.


underlines the need to promote positive local examples to address the legacy of conflict, with a particular focus on encouraging and supporting municipal cooperation across inter-entity boundaries, contributing to reconciliation, social cohesion and strengthened local governance;






KOSOVO










35.


expresses concern over the extremely low voter turnout and the boycott of local elections by political parties representing Kosovo Serbs in the north; underscores the importance of ensuring inclusive local elections across all municipalities, including those in the north;












36.


calls on the Commission to continue supporting the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities (A/CSM), in line with the European proposal from October 2023; highlights the contribution the CoR can provide in terms of subsidiarity expertise for both parties, based on its established role and proficiency;












37.


urges the Kosovo authorities to remain committed to fully implementing the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, that is, the EU-facilitated Dialogue that seeks to lead to the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia in order for both parties to advance on the European path;












38.


welcomes the tangible progress made in improving gender equality at central and local levels; calls on authorities to continue strengthening cooperation between municipalities and central institutions; considers, however, that the increased gender employment gap (rates are 53,4 % for men and 19,8 % for women) is a serious concern and welcomes the governments’ initiative of a piloting phase of a Youth Guarantee scheme in two municipalities;












39.


believes it essential to strengthen EU engagement with local communities, including minority groups;












40.


calls on Kosovo to avoid unilateral measures that significantly impact the daily lives of citizens in local communities, particularly in the north; emphasises the importance of ensuring that tensions do not inadvertently escalate or hinder progress in advancing Dialogue;












41.


stresses the need to enhance coordination between central and local government authorities to ensure that policies are effectively implemented and enforced (including in public administration, environment and climate sectors) and that services are delivered;






MONTENEGRO










42.


stresses the importance of fostering an inclusive and tolerant political climate, ensuring open dialogue that respects Montenegro’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious character, with a particular focus on guaranteeing and effectively implementing the rights of all groups, as enshrined in the law;












43.


calls attention to the importance of avoiding actions such as the adoption of the Resolution on Genocide in Jasenovac, Dachau and Mauthausen camp systems, that might affect good relations with EU Member States, which is vital for Montenegro’s progress towards EU accession;












44.


calls for a thorough reform of Montenegro’s electoral framework to ensure full alignment with EU standards, focusing on voting and candidacy rights, transparency, dispute resolution mechanisms and the regulation of campaign financing and media; urges the implementation of pending of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) recommendations to ensure electoral processes meet the highest democratic standards;












45.


reiterates the importance of adopting and implementing laws and measures to achieve real and broad operational and fiscal decentralisation to ensure municipalities are financially and organisationally autonomous and sustainable, particularly in the areas of spatial planning and human resource management (as repeatedly emphasised by the JCC Montenegro);












46.


welcomes the recent amendments to the Law on Local Self-Government Financing, which reallocate funds among municipalities to increase the income of those in the north; emphasises that equitable resource distribution is a cornerstone for sustainable local development;












47.


deplores the low participation of women in local politics, particularly the very limited number of female mayors, and calls for measures to promote gender equality and women’s representation in local governance;






NORTH MACEDONIA










48.


takes note of North Macedonia’s commitment to addressing bilateral issues and historical legacies in a constructive and inclusive manner; urges the authorities to intensify efforts to implement existing bilateral agreements with neighbouring countries in good faith, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness, and Cooperation with Bulgaria;












49.


strongly encourages the Government to maintain its commitment to adopting the constitutional changes aimed at including citizens living in permanent co-existence with the citizens of North Macedonia within the borders of the State and belonging to a historical minority (such as Bulgarians), which is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution;












50.


calls for the urgent reform of local self-government, including the implementation of sustainable and robust financing mechanisms; stresses the need to relaunch dialogue between different levels of government to ensure effective and inclusive governance, in line with the 2021-2026 decentralisation programme and its 2024-2026 action plan;












51.


recognises the overall enabling environment for civil society organisations (CSOs) in North Macedonia and the opportunities they have to participate in dialogue with government bodies; underscores the urgent need to develop a consistent approach to involving CSOs in policymaking at national and local levels;












52.


is concerned about the increasing number of femicides and the increased traction of anti-gender movements. Calls on North Macedonia to significantly advance its gender equality programmes and push its reforms in the national policy framework for integrating gender equality;












53.


deplores the low participation of women in local politics, particularly the very limited number of female mayors, and calls for measures to promote gender equality and women’s representation in local governance;












54.


urges the implementation of more effective anti-corruption mechanisms, including the national strategy for the prevention of corruption and conflict of interests, as well as the recommendations of the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO); underscores the need for improved monitoring of accountable institutions, policy implementation and relevant procedures;












55.


stresses the need for greater clarity in the division of powers and responsibilities between local and central authorities involved in the prevention of violent extremism and terrorism; underscores the importance of providing adequate financial and human resources, equipment and professional training to effectively tackle all forms of extremism, including the protection of environmental activists and journalists reporting on ecological crimes and land misuse;






SERBIA










56.


welcomes the opening of the Europe House, a flagship initiative of the EU Delegation to Serbia. However, there is no clear position in Serbia on where Serbia wants to be and whether it really wants to be in the EU; encourages Serbia to take a more proactive role in disseminating clear and accurate information regarding both its EU accession process and the EU’s role as its most significant political and economic partner;












57.


underscores the need for Serbia to fully cooperate and continue fulfilling its obligations within the context of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue on the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo;












58.


regrets that Serbia, as the most populous country of the Western Balkans, has stagnated in EU accession negotiations and has not opened Cluster 3, and calls on Serbia to step up its efforts to meet all the conditions for membership;












59.


calls on the responsible authorities to ensure that the JCC with Serbia includes gender balance and political plurality to enhance its legitimacy and impact;












60.


expresses serious concerns over the detention and subsequent deportation of civil society activists, including citizens of EU Member States, under the pretext that they ‘posed a security risk’, and over the fact that foreign journalists are being prevented from entering Serbia; notes with alarm that such actions risk undermining fundamental freedoms and the principles of openness and dialogue which are essential for democracy; calls on Serbian authorities to ensure that all security-related measures respect human rights standards and avoid arbitrarily targeting civil society actors;












61.


criticises Serbia for not fully aligning with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, with the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia, nor with the majority of the statements of the High Representative related to Russia and Ukraine (51 % in 2024, hence even lower than the 54 % in 2023);












62.


is concerned about the instability of the entire region as a result of comments by political leaders in relation to the student protests against corruption and mismanagement, which followed the collapse of a railway station in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024, which led to the deaths of 16 people. Calls on Serbia and its political leaders to respect protests and actively engage in anti- corruption measures at all levels of government; intimidation and violence against peaceful protesters by the authorities is unacceptable;












63.


welcomes the gender balance achieved in Serbia’s public administration; calls on Serbian authorities at all levels to invest further efforts to increase women’s representation and participation in political life and to address their limited visibility during political campaigns;












64.


welcomes the letter initiated by Members of the European Parliament to the President of the European Commission to call for a public warning towards the Government of Serbia that any repression of protestors will directly affect Serbia’s path to the EU, and this includes the attitude towards repression, violence, mobilisation of counter-protests and heavy police presence. Reiterates that under the Growth Plan Regulations, Serbia is required to respect democratic mechanisms, including free and fair elections, an independent judiciary, pluralistic media and the rule of law;












65.


calls on the Serbian government to act on ODIHR/OSCE electoral reform proposals and to address a number of irregularities identified in the December 2023 elections; appeals to the government of the Republic of Serbia to ensure media freedom and pluralism, because the media’s current state of captivity, in which government leaders and even convicted war criminals appear in the media every day, while the opposition and other actors do so minimally, is unacceptable;












66.


emphasises the need for genuine and structured collaboration between the government and CSOs, and urges the authorities to end verbal attacks and smear campaigns, particularly those carried out by public officials; calls for greater transparency in the allocation of public funding to civil society;












67.


supports efforts to expedite the implementation of the programme to reform the local government system and to improve administrative capacity and provide resources to support local self-government (including for environmental issues);












68.


draws attention to the latest developments in Serbia, where the people in the largest protests in the country’s history have shown their dissatisfaction with the work of the institutions and the state completely captured by the current government;












69.


underlines ongoing challenges in local self-government, particularly the lack of progress in adopting the Law on Vojvodina’s financing resources, as mandated by the Constitution;












70.


stresses the importance of monitoring funds from the EU budget used for programmes and projects on the territory of Serbia in order to ensure that EU taxpayers’ money is used strictly for its intended purpose;






TÜRKİYE










71.


recognises the March 2024 local elections in Türkiye were held in a well-organised nature and respect for the will of the people; notes the particularly high voter turnout of 78 % – among the highest in Europe for local elections; notes however with concern the continued and deeply worrying backsliding in the areas of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights; stresses that the systemic lack of independence and undue pressure on the judiciary continue to be a source of serious concern, as are the on-going restrictions, detentions, imprisonments, and other measures targeting journalists, academics, members of political parties, including parliamentarians, lawyers, human rights defenders, social media users and others exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms;












72.


welcomes the significant increase in the number of female mayors following the local elections, with 11 provinces, including 5 metropolitan provinces, now led by women (double the 2019 number); notes with appreciation the historic election of 61 women as district mayors, marking a positive step towards greater gender representation in local governance; urges Turkish authorities to continue improving the legislative framework and its implementation in order to effectively tackle all forms of violence against women and advance towards gender equality;












73.


reiterates serious concern over the recent dismissals of elected mayors in opposition-led municipalities, including mayors from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, and their replacement with government-appointed trustees, stemming from the 2016 amendment to the Municipal Law; calls for an immediate end to such practices and to judicial pressure on opposition mayors and municipalities, emphasising that safeguarding local democracy and political pluralism is crucial for Türkiye’s EU accession process as a candidate country; calls on Türkiye, in line with the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the recommendations of the Venice Commission, to refrain from taking measures that hamper local democracy and are detrimental to the general democratic climate both at local and regional levels; Türkiye should also step up its cooperation with the Council of Europe and its relevant bodies and institutions, address their key recommendations, fully implement the European Convention of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments to which Türkiye is a party, and execute all judgments of the European Court of Human Rights in line with Article 46 of the ECHR;












74.


commends the historic change in leadership at the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye, with the election of a CHP President (Mayor of Istanbul) for the first time; reaffirms the CoR’s readiness to continue its cooperation with the Union, particularly in organising working group meetings and supporting activities, such as Türkiye’s participation in the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM);












75.


acknowledges the improved political, geographic and gender diversity of Turkish participants in the Working Group on Relations with Türkiye; suggests transforming it into a JCC when the conditions permit;












76.


draws attention to the limited financial autonomy of local authorities, constrained by state overregulation, state intervention in planning decisions, insufficient consultation processes, restricted control over local tax rates, and the continued reliance on state budget transfers for the majority of local revenues;












77.


commends the positive cooperation already established on civil protection and disaster preparedness and recovery, both within the working group following the devastating 2023 earthquakes and within ARLEM, where Türkiye LRA representatives participated in the ARLEM report and roadmap on civil protection; calls for further engagement between LRAs in Türkiye and the EU;












78.


calls on Türkiye to align its actions with relevant UNSC resolutions concerning UN-led settlement talks on Cyprus, including refraining from advocating a two-state solution; calls for a more active role by the EU in supporting all stages of the UN-led process, with all appropriate means at its disposal; reiterates that recognition of all EU Member States is essential and urges Türkiye to make progress towards normalisation of relations with the Republic of Cyprus; urges Türkiye to fulfil its obligations under the Additional Protocol to the EU-Türkiye Association Agreement by removing all obstacles to both the free movement of goods and direct transport links with the Republic of Cyprus; reiterates its call to Türkiye to immediately reverse its unilateral actions in Varosha and to fully respect UNSC Resolutions 541, 550, 789, 1251; stresses the need to avoid any unilateral actions that could raise tensions and undermine the prospects for a peaceful settlement and to cease unauthorised military exercises in the maritime zones of Cyprus;












79.


calls on Türkiye to fully respect the sovereignty and sovereign rights of EU Member States, on the basis of International Law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and in alignment with the principle of Good Neighbourly Relations.






Brussels, 2 April 2025.


The President


of the European Committee of the Regions

Kata TÜTTŐ
               





(*1)  This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution UNSCR 1244/1999 and the International Court of Justice Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3171/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)