The Western Balkans and the Challenges of EU Accession

This book provides a comprehensive, interdisciplinary analysis of the transformation of Western Balkan candidate countries as they move toward European Union (EU) accession. It assesses this multidimensional process as shaped both by reforms in the region and by developments within the EU itself. The volume examines enlargement credibility amid democratic backsliding, radical-right pressures, and debates on EU reform, alongside questions of strategic autonomy and authoritarian norm diffusion. It traces accession-driven change in public administration, regulatory capacity, the rule of law, and government–civil society relations. The book also explores policy areas increasingly defining the accession agenda: migration as an institutional challenge; economic transformation supported by EU investment and efforts to reduce disparities and foster inclusive development; infrastructure as a catalyst for convergence; the intertwined digital and media transition; and climate and energy reforms required for alignment with the European Green Deal. Together, the chapters offer an evidence-based evaluation of the impact, challenges, and limits of EU-driven transformation in the Western Balkans. This book is of key interest to scholars and students of EU studies and European integration, political science, international relations, and public policy.