Infrastructure and connectivity enable the efficient movement of goods, services and people, improving access to markets and boosting economic activities
Economic Convergence Scoreboard for the Western Balkans 2025: Key Scores
Over the past decade, the region has experienced uneven progress in terms of convergence with the EU across the five policy clusters, with some clusters exhibiting stagnating or diverging trends. These disparities also appear among the Western Balkan economies, with some struggling to align with EU standards.
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Convergence of the Western Balkans: Overview by Cluster
Infrastructure and connectivity
Skills
Skills contribute to workforce productivity and adaptability, enabling economies to adopt and innovate with new technologies
Business environment
A competitive business environment promotes investment, fosters entrepreneurship and cultivates an ecosystem where businesses can operate efficiently
Digital transformation
Digital transformation enhances productivity, innovation and access to information, enabling economies to modernise and compete effectively
Greening
Greening economies ensures the sustainability of economic growth, reducing environmental risks and fostering resource efficiency
Convergence of the Western Balkans: Overview by Economy
Albania
Since 2014-16, Albania's overall convergence level with the EU has declined, primarily due to a weakening performance in the Business Environment cluster. However, Albania's performance in Greening remains strong, allowing it to outperform the EU in this area
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Since 2014–16, Bosnia and Herzegovina's convergence level has declined. Performance remains weak across most clusters, although some progress has been recorded in Infrastructure and Connectivity and Skills
Kosovo*
Kosovo has experienced the fastest convergence in the region. The most significant progress has been made in Business Environment, while Greening remains its poorest-performing area
Montenegro
Montenegro keeps converging with the EU, showing strong performance across several clusters. However, the economy has recorded the sharpest decrease in the Greening cluster across the region
North Macedonia
North Macedonia has slowly converged with the EU, showing moderate progress in the Business Environment cluster. However, deteriorating outcomes in Infrastructure and Connectivity, and Greening have hindered its overall performance
Serbia
Since 2014–16, Serbia has converged with the EU, driven by progress in the Skills and Business Environment clusters. The economy leads the region in the Digital Transformation cluster, while Greening remains its most pressing challenge
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99 and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo's declaration of independence.