High-speed Belgrade–Velika Plana railroad in additional investment package of European Commission of EUR 1.2 billion for Western Balkans

Yesterday, the European Commission announced the sixth investment package under the EU's Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans that is expected to mobilize EUR 1.2 billion in investments.

This package will support eight new flagship investments in water supply and sanitation, wastewater treatment and rail transport, as well as innovation and green transformation in small and medium enterprises. The investments will be rolled out in close cooperation with the Western Balkan partners and international financial institutions, the EC says on its website.

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that their EUR 30 billion Investment Plan for the Western Balkans was delivering, with the new EUR 1.2 billion package.

The EUR 1.2 billion in investment package includes EUR 300 million in EU grants from the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III), additional bilateral contributions from EU Member States and Norway, loans from international financing institutions and contributions from the economies of the Western Balkans. The package was endorsed by the Operational Board of the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) during the July 1-2 meeting.

The new flagship investments fall under three priorities of the Economic and Investment Plan:

• Environment and climate: Reconstruction and rehabilitation of water supply and sanitation infrastructure in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Sustainable transport: advancing on Corridor X rail infrastructure, with the high-speed Belgrade – Velika Plana connection enabling a faster flow of passengers and freight in the region.
• Support to the business sector: launch of a new facility for innovation and green transformation of enterprises in the region.

As part of the Global Gateway, the EU's Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans (2021-27) aims to spur long-term recovery, accelerate a green and digital transition, and foster regional cooperation and convergence with the EU. Adopted by the European Commission in October 2020, the Plan mobilizes up to EUR 30 billion in investments, including EUR 9 billion in EU grants through IPA III, over the seven-year period. Of this amount, EUR 5 billion has been committed through the WBIF.

So far, the EU has approved programs set to mobilize up to EUR 17.5 billion in investments under the Economic and Investment Plan, including EUR 5.4 billion in EU grants.

European Commission

EU Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans

Ursula von der Leyen

Environment and climate

Reconstruction of water supply and sanitation infrastructure

Sustainable transport

advancing on Corridor X rail infrastructure

Belgrade Velika Plana high speed railroad

Support to the business sector

innovation and green transformation of enterprises in the region

waste water treatment

rail transport

grants

IPA III

WBIF

support to entrepreneurship