EU and Western Balkan leaders will meet in Brussels on 25 November, the second summit of 2026 after June’s meeting in Tivat, as the EU seeks to reaffirm the region’s membership perspective at a time when bilateral disputes continue to slow progress. Announcing the summit, European Council President António Costa described the accession of the Western Balkans as an EU priority and a key geopolitical investment. Leaders are expected to press for faster delivery of reforms, take stock of gradual integration through the Growth Plan and discuss security and resilience. The meeting comes shortly after Croatia’s opposition at the October European Council removed proposed timelines for Montenegro’s accession – a reminder that merit-based progress can still be held back by bilateral politics. It will also be the first opportunity for leaders to discuss the forthcoming Enlargement Package, expected to set out accession roadmaps for the most advanced candidates, including Montenegro and Albania, as well as the region’s outlook following Serbia’s elections. Questions over Growth Plan funding are also likely to feature, with the Commission considering redirecting funds forfeited by Serbia and Kosovo to better-performing partners, and Bosnia and Herzegovina facing a December deadline on its reform commitments. Read more here.
Source: The New Union Post