
Today, European Union leaders will meet with Western Balkan leaders, a meeting that will take place for the 4th consecutive year in Brussels. The summit is organized on the eve of the last meeting of the European Council for this year. Prime Minister Edi Rama has been heading to Brussels since yesterday afternoon.
At the joint table, Albania and Montenegro will sit as the vanguard of membership negotiations compared to other Western Balkan countries and with predetermined membership deadlines, respectively in 2028 and 2029. Prime Minister Rama and Montenegrin counterpart Spajic have managed to engage in gradual integration by benefiting from pre-accession funds and other facilities.
The summit is expected to focus on the latest findings of the 2025 Enlargement Package, with Montenegro and Albania leading the way in terms of progress towards membership. The €6 billion Western Balkans Growth Plan will also take centre stage, widely seen in Brussels as one of the most effective tools for bringing the region closer to the EU, both economically and in terms of reforms.
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