Brussels – A week focused on the Western Balkans is about to begin within the EU institutions. From 1 to 5 June, attention – particularly within the Council – will turn to a region that is seeking reassurance that it will not be overshadowed by the priority given to Ukraine, while also expecting tangible signs of progress on enlargement. What better occasion than the second EU–Western Balkans Summit hosted within the region?
The 2026 EU–Western Balkans Summit in Tivat, Montenegro, will be the highlight of a week during which the President of the European Council, António Costa, will visit all six Western Balkan countries to discuss with their respective leaders and national authorities the opportunities and challenges surrounding enlargement, as well as gradual integration, regional cooperation, security and stability.
“My second tour of the Western Balkans sends a clear signal,” President Costa said on the eve of his trip. “The momentum is there. Now is the time to deliver.”
The trip will begin in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 1 June. It will continue on 2 June with visits to Tirana, Albania, and Skopje, North Macedonia; on 3 June to Pristina, Kosovo; and will conclude on 4 June in Belgrade, Serbia, and Tivat, Montenegro, where Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović has invited EU leaders to a dinner celebrating the 20th anniversary of the country’s independence.
As EU diplomats anticipated, one of the main outcomes expected at the 2026 EU–Western Balkans Summit is the Council’s approval to authorise the opening of negotiations on individual agreements between the EU and each partner in the region on free roaming, following the Commission’s proposal in February.
The ‘Roam Like at Home’ policy is based on the principle that, when travelling to another member of the no-roaming-charge area, mobile calls, texts and data services work just as they do at home, without any additional roaming charges.
After Ukraine and Moldova joined on 1 January 2026, the EU has been taking concrete steps to implement the declaration signed at the 2022 EU–Western Balkans Summit in Tirana. The declaration committed leaders to the gradual reduction of data roaming charges, with the ultimate goal of eliminating additional roaming fees entirely by 2028.
Following the Council’s authorisation, the Commission will negotiate bilateral agreements with each Western Balkan partner. If successfully concluded, these agreements will allow citizens of these countries to use their mobile phones – including for calls, texts and data services – across the EU and other associated countries without incurring additional charges. The same benefits will also apply to EU citizens communicating or travelling in the Western Balkan countries.
The summit in Tivat is also expected to assess the progress made in the gradual integration of the Western Balkans, with a particular focus on the EU’s Growth Plan for the region, examining both its achievements and shortcomings. Strengthening security and addressing the challenges posed by an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, from Ukraine to the Middle East, will be at the centre of the discussions.
Covering “the whole spectrum of cooperation” between the EU and the Western Balkans – as EU sources explained – will inevitably also include discussion of the recent proposals by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that the region should not be overlooked when considering a form of “associate membership” for Ukraine.
At a time when no formal proposal setting out the legal basis or substance of the initiative has been tabled, and discussions remain limited to comments, reactions and informal exchanges among EU and non-EU countries, EU diplomats confirm that “an exchange of views is useful” with the six Western Balkan leaders. They also stress that, “unless a different mandate is agreed”, a process with clear rules and methodology “already exists” – namely, the EU enlargement process.
The recent history of the EU–Western Balkans summits
The EU–Western Balkans Summit is a high-level meeting between the European Union and the six countries of the region – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The summit serves as a platform for dialogue regarding the Western Balkans’ EU accession perspective, while also addressing current challenges. It typically results in a joint declaration outlining agreements, priorities, and initiatives for closer cooperation.
The first EU-Western Balkans summits took place in 2018 in Sofia (Bulgaria), with the adoption of a declaration introducing new measures to enhance cooperation in areas such as the rule of law, good governance, security, migration, and socio-economic development.
In 2020, amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, a summit was organised in Zagreb (Croatia) and held virtually. During this meeting, the EU reaffirmed its commitment to the Western Balkans’ EU perspective while also focusing on regional cooperation in tackling the pandemic and planning for economic recovery.
In 2021, the summit in Brdo (Slovenia) was held at the leaders’ level. The adopted declaration outlined initiatives to strengthen connectivity within the region and promote both the green and digital transitions.
Following the renewed impetus on EU enlargement caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 2022 was particularly active with two meetings. In June, leaders convened in Brussels to review progress on EU integration and address challenges arising from the war in Ukraine. On 6 December, an EU–Western Balkans Summit was held in Tirana (Albania) – the first ever hosted within the Western Balkans – with discussions covering security, migration, economic development, and countering foreign interference.
The 2023 summit in Brussels continued this trajectory by focusing on advancing gradual integration, building economic resilience, and strengthening cooperation in light of ongoing geopolitical challenges, particularly Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
The 2024 summit in Brussels, further consolidated the EU–Western Balkans partnership, addressing a broad spectrum of topics, from political cooperation to economic development, security, bilateral issues, and migration.
The most recent summit – hold on 17 December 2025 in Brussels – was overshadowed both by Hungary’s veto on the 2025 enlargement conclusions and by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s decision not to attend the meeting to “protect Serbia and its interests.”
