Southeast Europe – A Priority of Austrian Foreign Policy
Austria is closely linked to the countries of Southeast Europe through historic, economic and cultural ties. For instance, more than half a million Austrians have their roots in this part of Europe. Austrian foreign policy has therefore always attached particular importance to the region in which it is also among the biggest sources of foreign investment. Austria’s foremost foreign policy objective in South East Europe is to implement a clear EU accession perspective.
In this context, the six countries of South East Europe which are not yet members of the European Union (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, often also collectively referred to as “Western Balkans”) are of particular importance. Austria energetically and actively supports the efforts to make sure that those countries, on fulfilment of the established criteria, can join the EU as early as possible.
Furthermore, Austria also participates in initiatives to facilitate regional cooperation such as the Berlin Process and the Regional Cooperation Council, because close regional cooperation represents an important intermediate step towards inclusion in the EU’s comprehensive model of integration.
Albania and Kosovo are focal countries of Austrian Development Cooperation, through which Austria is also undertaking regional projects aiming at the whole of South Eastern Europe.
The concrete and realistic perspective of EU membership also represents the best incentive to speed up the reform processes in those countries. It is up to them to determine the pace of EU integration through the speed of their reforms, while the European Union supports them in those efforts.
The normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is of key relevance for the region’s future and its European perspective. Since April 2020, Miroslav Lajčák is the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue; his efforts have Austria’s full support.
Albania
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Albania and the EU was signed on 16 June 2006 and entered into force on 1 April 2009.
On 28 April 2009, Albania officially applied to become a member state of the EU and was granted candidate status on 24 June 2014.
On 15 December 2010, the Schengen visa requirement for Albanian biometric passport holders was lifted.
EU accession negotiations were officially opened on 19 July 2022, the screening process began in September 2022.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU was signed on 16 June 2008 and entered into force on 1 June 2015.
Bosnia and Herzegovina applied for EU membership on 15 February 2016. Following a recommendation by the EU Commission in October 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina was granted candidate status on 15 December 2022.
On 15th December 2010, the Schengen visa requirement for biometric passport holders from Bosnia-Herzegovina was lifted.
Since 2009, Austria has provided the commanders of the EU military operation EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Around 160 Austrian soldiers are presently deployed in this operation, which makes Austria the biggest contributor to EUFOR. The military presence contributes to ensure a safe and secure environment in the country and is involved in the further development of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s armed forces.
Since September 2019, an Austrian, Johann Sattler, holds the position of EU Special Representative of the EU for Bosnia and Herzegovina and as head of the EU Delegation in Sarajevo.
Kosovo
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Kosovo and the EU was signed on 27 October 2015 and entered into force on 1 April 2016.
In February 2008, the EU deployed a European Union Rule of Law Mission, EULEX Kosovo, the biggest civilian mission of the CSDP so far, in Kosovo. Since its launch, the mission's mandate has been transformed substantially, most recently in June 2018, to adapt it to the developing needs of the country. The mission now focuses inter alia on the monitoring of selected cases and trials in Kosovo´s criminal and civil justice institutions, the monitoring and advising of the Kosovo Correctional Service and on the provision of operational support to the EU-facilitated Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. In addition, the mission retains certain limited executive responsibilities in the areas of forensic medicine and policeAustria’s EULEX contribution consists primarily of police personnel.
Since 1999, Austria is also participating in the NATO led operation Kosovo Force (KFOR) as troop contributor. More than 400 Austrian soldiers are currently deployed in this operation to ensure a safe and secure environment for the further development of the country.
On 14 December 2022, the European Parliament and Council of the European Union agreed to lift the visa requirement for Kosovo, effective as of 1 January 2024.
On 15 December 2022, Kosovo applied for EU membership. Further rapprochement of Kosovo to the EU is however impeded by the fact that five EU countries (Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Cyprus) do not recognize Kosovo’s independence.
A normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is also important to bring Kosovo closer to the EU.
Montenegro
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Montenegro and the EU was signed on 15 October 2007 and entered into force on 1 May 2010.
Montenegro applied for EU membership in December 2008 and was granted EU candidate status in December 2010. Accession negotiations started in 2012.
On 19 December 2009, the Schengen visa requirement for Montenegrin biometric passport holders was lifted.
North Macedonia
North Macedonia declared its independence as “Republic of Macedonia” in 1991. However, its neighbouring country Greece could not accept this name, as it feared territorial claims to a Greek province of the same name. On the basis of the Prespa agreement in effect since 12 February 2019, the country was officially renamed to Republic of North Macedonia.
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement between North Macedonia and the EU was signed on 24 November 2000 and entered into force on 1 April 2004.
North Macedonia applied for EU membership in March 2004 and was granted candidate status for EU membership on 16 December 2005.
EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia officially began on 19 July 2022, the screening process started in September 2022.
On 19 December 2009, the Schengen visa requirement for biometric passport holders of North Macedonia was lifted.
Serbia
Serbia applied for EU membership in December 2009 and was granted candidate status in 2012.
The Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Serbia and the EU was signed in June 2010 and entered into force in September 2013.
In December 2009, the Schengen visa requirement for Serbian biometric passport holders was lifted.
In 2014, the EU started accession negotiations with Serbia. As applies equally to Kosovo, the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina is an important prerequisite for Serbian membership in the EU.