TIRANA, Nov 21 /ATA/ At the opening of the Growth Plan Summit in Tirana, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos highlighted that a regional single market boosts the member states’ economies by 10%.
At the summit roundtable, attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama and several leaders from the Western Balkans, Commissioner Kos emphasised that insufficient progress jeopardises access to the European Union’s single market.
“The reforms we have agreed upon are by no means straightforward. Nonetheless, they enable the acceleration of EU accession negotiations and prepare your economies for participation in the single market of 450 million citizens. They offer opportunities and ensure parity of treatment with EU member states under EU policies, while signalling to existing members that your countries are ready for deeper integration,” she stated.
Kos stated that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was very impressed by the two investment conferences, adding that the work initiated must continue to attract even more sustainable investments from the EU and additional trade partners to the region.
“We know that the closer you get to EU enlargement, the more investment follows, and it is essential to achieve tangible economic convergence with the EU member states. Experience shows that the further you progress towards the EU, the greater the interest from foreign investors and European media in your countries, and I hope that their own citizens will get as much interested,” Kos continued.
Kos concluded by emphasising that the remaining two years should be fully utilised to make the Growth Plan a genuine success, laying the foundation for Western Balkan countries to progress toward full and fair membership in the European Union.
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