Continuing the success story of EU enlargement – Bringing benefits to the Western Balkans in advance of accession

The Western Balkans Civil Society High-Level Conference brought together EESC members, organised civil society representatives from the Western Balkan countries, and members of organised civil society and officials from Slovenia. It marked 20 years of the biggest EU enlargement thus far, and 20 years since Slovenia joined the Union. The conference was organised in close cooperation with and support from our partners and will complement the EESC’s work, such as the Western Balkans Civil Society Forum, which the EESC has organised every two years since 2006. The event provided an opportunity for participants to exchange views on the needed reforms in the Western Balkans and in the EU to maintain enlargement policy as one of the most important EU success stories. It was an opportunity to discuss the current situation of civil society in the region and the need for its better inclusion in the accession process. The participants adopted conclusions addressed to national authorities and European institutions.