© Reuters. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends a press conference at the Berlin Process, leaders' summit in Tirana, Albania, October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Florion Goga
Von der Leyen, attending a summit of the Berlin Process in Tirana - a German initiative aimed at improving cooperation in the Western Balkans, said the EU and the region must now bring their economies closer together. Von der Leyen said the new growth plan that would include the opening of the EU’s common market to the Western Balkans in areas such as free movement of goods and services, transport, energy and the digital single market, would also require deep-rooted reforms.
Von der Leyen said that if the Western Balkan nations create their own common market it would boost their economies by a combined 10%.