Western Balkans : Regional Economic Integration Issues Notes
The Western Balkan countries, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic (FYR) of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, achieved strong growth and poverty reduction since the start of the transition to market economies. Desp...
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| Format: | Policy Note |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Vienna
2017
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/521241498836042507/Western-Balkans-Regional-economic-integration-issues-notes http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28316 |
| Summary: | The Western Balkan countries, Albania,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic
(FYR) of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia, achieved strong
growth and poverty reduction since the start of the
transition to market economies. Despite progress, today the
six Western Balkan countries remain among the poorest in
Europe, overtaken by the more successful neighboring
countries in terms of convergence to EU standards of living.
In summary, to converge faster to EU living standards, the
Western Balkan countries need to continue to pursue a
‘three-pronged’ effort by implementing in parallel prudent
macroeconomic policies, bold structural reforms, and
measures to advance economic integration. Macroeconomic and
fiscal stability, accompanied by decisive structural reforms
are two necessary conditions to promote a sustainable and
strong growth model, one that is based on private sector
growth, investment, and higher exports. Structural reforms
are key to unlocking the benefits of regional integration
including productivity gains, investments, and job creation,
all of which will support convergence to EU living
standards. Indeed, economic integration is linked to
productivity, as productivity is inherent in achieving
economies of scale. And the speed and depth of reforms that
rekindle income convergence will help advance the pace of
economic integration. |
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