About the Berlin Process

The Berlin Process is a diplomatic initiative linked to the future enlargement of the European Union. It started with the 2014 Conference of Western Balkan States, Berlin, followed by the 2015 Vienna Summit, 2016 Paris Summit and the 2017 Trieste Summit. The last conference was held in July 2018 in London. 

The Berlin Process is an intergovernmental cooperation initiative aimed at revitalizing the multilateral ties between the Western Balkans and selected EU member states, and at improving regional cooperation in the Western Balkans on the issues of infrastructural and economic development. It is one of the flagship German diplomatic initiatives of the Third Merkel cabinet concerning South-East Europe, together with country-specific ones (e.g. the German-British diplomatic initiative for Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU accession).

Upon the request of the Western Balkans Six Prime Ministers, the Multi-annual Action Plan for a Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans (MAP REA) has been developed in the context of the Berlin process and Trieste summit to prepare a “proposal for a joint approach to furthering economic cooperation in the Western Balkans”. The MAP REA puts forward a structured agenda for regional economic integration, along the lines proposed by the Leader’s Meeting, namely:

- promoting further trade integration,

- introducing a dynamic regional investment space,

- facilitating regional mobility (which includes actions towards automatic recognition of academic and professional qualifications), and

- creating a digital integration agenda.

The MAP REA stems from the commitments undertaken within the framework of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and South East Europe 2020 Strategy (SEE2020) and is based on CEFTA and EU rules and principles as reflected in the Stabilisation and Association Agreements (SAAs). It foresees implementation of actions at all levels in the period between 2017 and 2020 (with some actions extending until 2023).

The leaders of Western Balkans Six (WB6) endorsed the Multi-annual Action Plan on Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans Six (MAP REA), at the Berlin-process summit held on 12 July 2017 in Trieste.

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