Vienna conference: Western Balkans bundle forces for competitive power!

Vienna conference: Western Balkans bundle forces for competitive power!

Wien, Österreich - From May 26th to 27th, 2025, an international conference entitled "Building Effective Market Institutions in Western Balkans" took place in Vienna. This event, which was organized by the Federal Competition Authority (BWB) in cooperation with the World Bank, brought together representatives of competitive authorities as well as financial regulators from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Northern Macedonia. The aim of the conference was to discuss strategies for strengthening institutions in the region and for economic integration.

The conference was officially opened by Federal Minister Claudia Plakolm and Section Head Mag. Harald Waiglein. In addition to the exchange of current developments in competition policy, discussion rounds on transnational fusion control and the combination of competition and financial stability were on the agenda. Experts moderated the meetings, which also included practice -oriented training to enforce antitrust law. One focus of the training was on the overview of investigative processes, starting with the assessment of symptoms and house searches.

long -term cooperation and support

The second day of conference was opened by General Director for Competition, Natalie Harsdorf. In her speech, she emphasized the value of Austria's contribution to support the Western Balcan countries by close cooperation with the World Bank. This is part of a long -term project to strengthen competitive policy and enforcement in this region.

In the further context of economic integration, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen performed at the Western Balkans summit in Tirana. It called for closer economic cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkans to speed up the necessary reforms for the EU accession. Von der Leyen presented a comprehensive growth plan that consists of four pillars and aims to intensify the foreign trade relationships and to double the industries of the region until the end of the decade.

The growth plan for the Western Balkans

The growth plan includes the following key points:

• Integration into the internal market: Creation of openings for companies in the Western Balkans in seven key areas, including customs system, cashless payments and roaming.
• Completion of the common regional market: destination is a GDP increase by 10 percent through the market opening for neighboring countries.
• Reforms: uniform rules and standards should facilitate access to the European internal market and increase the attractiveness for investors.
• Increasing EU funds for investments: A proposed investment package of 6 billion euros, consisting of financial aid and loan, should be linked to the implementation of the reforms.

Ursula von der Leyen expressed her trust that this growth plan will also be successful in the Western Balkans. This illustrates the ongoing efforts to integrate the region's economic integration, which could prove to be central to the European perspectives of the Western Balkans.

The developments and strategies that were discussed at the conference in Vienna are therefore part of a wider framework plan that should promote cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkans and strengthen economic stability in this important region. Further information on the conference can be found at OTS and on the plans of Ursula von der Leyen at the Western Balkans summit [here] (https://germany.represation.ec.europa.eu/news/westbalkan-kulkfel-von-der-fur-wachstumplan-fur-wirtschaftliche-and reform-2023-17_de).