BRUSSELS – The Reform Agendas of Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia have been approved today by the European Commission following the EU Member States’ positive opinion.
The Commission reminded that this step was key to allow payments under the EU’s €6 billion Reform and Growth Facility, that will be made upon completion of the reform steps drafted in the agendas. It was also stated that The Commission is looking forward to Bosnia and Herzegovina formally submitting their Reform Agenda to proceed with its assessment and continues supporting the authorities to finalise it.
According to the press release, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that she was impressed by the work of the Western Balkan partners on their Reform Agendas.
“It shows that they are committed to the success of the Growth Plan. It’s our roadmap to bring the economies of the Western Balkans closer to ours. And to give their companies the access and the means to compete on our Single Market. Everyone benefits, and it’s a big leap forward towards the European Union”, Ursula von der Leyen stressed.
The Commission has assessed each Reform Agenda based on the criteria established by the Reform and Growth Facility Regulation. The Commission concluded that the Reform Agendas fulfil the objectives of the Facility, including to accelerate the closing of the socio-economic gap between the beneficiary and the Union, and to further strengthen the fundamentals of the enlargement process.
The Commission added that it shall now proceed to signing loan and facility agreements with the beneficiaries, which will include obligations for beneficiaries to undertake appropriate measures to prevent, detect and correct fraud, corruption, conflicts of interests and irregularities affecting the financial interests of the Union, to avoid double funding and to take legal action to recover funds that have been misappropriated.