A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF THE ENLARGEMENT PROCESS FOR THE WESTERN BALKANS STATES. SYNTHETIC EVALUATION OF THE INTEGRATION PATH WITHIN THE COMPETITIVENESS POLICY
A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF THE ENLARGEMENT PROCESS FOR THE WESTERN BALKANS STATES. SYNTHETIC EVALUATION OF THE INTEGRATION PATH WITHIN THE COMPETITIVENESS POLICY

Summary/Abstract: In the process of negotiations with the EU candidate countries, one of the acquis chapters related to the sectoral issues, is the competitiveness policy on the closure of which depends to a large extent the completion of negotiations. The Western Balkans region is at the same time a strategic priority for the European Union as well as a real challenge in terms of economic convergence due to the criteria that continue to lag behind the development and compliance with the aquis communautaire compared to the already member states. The aim of the present research is to present the EU legal framework related to the competitiveness sector trying to capture the challenges met on the path to integration in this regard, taking also into account the national economic and legal context of the Western Balkans countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia). The present analysis starts methodologically with a brief presentation of the general legislative framework with reference to the competing elements to be fulfilled in the enlargement process of the European Union and contextualized upon the economic realities of the Western Balkans states trying to capture at the same time the fulfilment level of the main criteria to be met in accordance with a free market economy and a strong competitive environment.

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