The European Union on Thursday launched a Call for Expressions of Interest aimed at mobilising private investments in the Western Balkans, in a bid to drive economic growth and accelerate the region’s integration into the EU Single Market.
The announcement was made at the Adria Summit 2025 in Montenegro. Companies from the EU, European Economic Area (EEA), and the Western Balkans are invited to submit investment project proposals by May 21, the European Commission said in a statement.
The initiative seeks to attract private capital into key sectors such as infrastructure, green and digital transition, economic diversification, and EU value chain integration. Selected projects may receive support through EU policy, technical or financial instruments.
“We are not just talking about investment, we are talking about transformation,” said Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood. “We are looking for innovative, game-changing projects that will propel the Western Balkans forward and strengthen its connections with the EU.”
Priority sectors identified in the call include green transition, digitalisation, sustainable tourism, sustainable transport, integration into EU industrial supply chains, critical raw materials, human capital development, and impact finance, according to the Commission.
Projects must have a minimum value of €10 million, with at least 15% of funding provided through equity or own resources, the EU executive said.
The call is aligned with the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Western Balkans Investment Framework, both of which aim to close the economic gap between the region and the rest of the EU.
Further details, including eligibility criteria and application procedures, are available through the EU Delegation in North Macedonia and official EU channels.
