Brussels 6 October 2020
On Tuesday, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi will present the 2020 Enlargement Package and the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans in the European Parliament. Željana Zovko welcomes the initiative of an additional plan for the region focusing on the long-term recovery and boosting economic reforms.
The annual enlargement package maps out the EU policy lines on the way forward for countries aspiring to join the EU. This year, the Commission will also present the Economic and Investment Plan, which should concentrate on flagship areas and projects that will directly create long-term growth and jobs as well as an attractive investment climate in the Western Balkans. The main financial contribution will come from the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance III (IPA III). As co-rapporteur for this instrument, Ms Zovko calls for a balanced allocation of the budget benefitting the visibility of the European Union in the region.