Brussels – Work is progressing, but too slowly to meet the targets set. This is the main finding of the European Court of Auditors’ (ECA) assessment of the Western Balkans’ transport network integration into the EU. Although the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) has the potential to deliver tangible benefits on the ground, the 2030 deadline for completing the core EU trans-European transport network (TEN-T) in the region “is unlikely to be met.”
Through the joint EU financing initiative established in 2009 – which provides grants, loans and technical assistance to support large-scale infrastructure projects in the Western Balkans – the European Commission has provided the vast majority of the funding earmarked for extending the EU’s core trans-European transport network across the region. National public authorities, agencies and companies are responsible for procuring, contracting and implementing projects under the supervision of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the World Bank.
A number of shortcomings are delaying the impact of the funds allocated, the EU financial watchdog warns in the report. The assessment, based on an analysis of 12 transport projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia between 2015 and June 2025, highlights weaknesses in project selection, implementation oversight, and monitoring and reporting arrangements.
Where the problems lie
On transport project selection, the ECA highlights that, although addressing connectivity needs, “they often start late.” In particular, shortcomings in project maturity have contributed to “significant” implementation delays. The Commission was “only partially effective at ensuring adequate supervision” and at setting up “effective” monitoring and reporting arrangements.
“Until 2022, the Commission did not focus sufficiently on selecting sustainable transport projects that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” the analysis reads. Furthermore, it did not pay “sufficient attention” to the maturity of project applications, namely when its preparatory work is completed and up to date. “As a result, projects typically started with a 17-month delay.”
On implementation oversight, the Commission relies on the supervision of financial institutions, which is “sometimes inadequate.” Although it remains ultimately responsible for implementing the EU budget, it did not require evidence of their supervision or mitigation of implementation risks, nor was it able to identify shortcomings, the ECA report highlights.
Furthermore, shortcomings in monitoring and reporting arrangements include a lack of effective procedures not only to assess delays, but also to ensure “sustainability and EU visibility.” More specifically, annual implementation reports from financial institutions are “often not sufficiently detailed or up to date” to enable the Commission to address the reasons for “significant” delays – of more than two years in some cases – and to prevent the transfer of amounts exceeding those warranted by the financial and physical progress of projects.
By not gathering information on the degree of completion of the corridors it was funding or on whether transport networks complied with EU standards, the Commission is “not able to measure the specific effects” of WBIF funding.
Recommendations for Western Balkans integration
The ECA report outlines four recommendations for the European Commission, aiming for a 2027 implementation date to integrate the Western Balkans into the core EU TEN-T network.
First, to “select only mature projects,” meaning only those where project developers can demonstrate that preparatory work is complete and up to date. This would allow projects to start in a timely manner after the grant has been approved.
Second, to “obtain evidence from financial institutions,” in particular regarding their assessment of implementation risks such as insufficient project developer capacity, conflict of interest, or lack of beneficiary and national ownership, as well as proposed mitigating measures when an application is submitted.
Third, to “improve the monitoring of project implementation” by receiving up-to-date and relevant information on financial and physical progress. This includes requiring financial institutions to report updated total incurred costs and grant amounts paid to the beneficiary at least twice a year, and enhancing reporting by including indicators that measure the degree of completeness and compliance with EU standards.
Fourth, to “enhance the sustainability of project results and EU visibility.” For this purpose, WBIF-funded grant applications should include adequate sustainability measures – such as maintenance arrangements and funding – as well as specific visibility activities promoting the contribution of EU grants.
