Title page
Contents
Executive summary 1
1. Introduction 2
2. Progress in the accession 3
3. Economic and social convergence 6
4. External economic relations and the role of the EU 10
5. Governance challenges 13
6. Summary and conclusions 17
References 18
Table 1. Western Balkan countries, EU accession progress 3
Figure 1. GDP per capita in current international $, PPP adjusted, Germany = 100, 2000-2023 6
Figure 2. Unemployment, total (% of total labour force) and youth unemployment rate 8
Figure 3. Annual percentage change in 15-64 working age population, in %, 2014-2020 9
Figure 4. Labour force participation rate by gender 9
Figure 5. Imports and exports of goods and services, % of GDP, 2000-2022 10
Figure 6. Geographical structure of exports and imports, 2023 11
Figure 7. Stock of inward FDI, % of GDP, 2022 12
Figure 8. Personal remittances, received, % of GDP 13
Figure 9. Freedom House Nations in Transit democracy scores, 2005-2023 14
Figure 10. World Bank's World Governance Indicators, voice and accountability (estimate), 2005-2022 15
Figure 11. World Governance Indicators, rule of law (estimate), 2005-2022 15
Figure 12. World Governance Indicators, regulatory quality (estimate), 2005-2022 16
Figure 13. World Governance Indicators, control of corruption (estimate), 2005-2022 16