London Western Balkans Summit, 9 July 2018: Declaration by the Chair of the Interior and Security Ministers
On 10 July 2018 the UK hosted the Western Balkans Summit in London. The summit brought together the leaders of the Western Balkans countries and like-minded European partners to strengthen security co-operation, increase economic stability and encourage political co-operation.
Western Balkans Ministers of Interior and Security pledged to share information better in the fight against serious and organised crime and terrorism in a Joint Declaration on the Principles of Information-Exchange in the Field of Law Enforcement.
The summit is the fifth to take place under the Berlin Process after Berlin (2014), Vienna (2015), Paris (2016) and Trieste (2017). The Berlin Process is a diplomatic initiative that Chancellor Merkel launched in 2014. Each year it brings together the 6 Western Balkans countries, like-minded EU partners and representatives of the EU institutions to work together to support security, stability and prosperity in the region.
The UK has invited EU partners including Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia. Bulgaria has been invited in light of the EU28 Western Balkans Summit in Sofia in May 2018 and Poland has been invited as they will host the Western Balkans Summit in 2019.
The summit will focus on 3 important aims:
Increasing economic stability with a view to improving the business environment, encouraging entrepreneurship, addressing youth unemployment, and promoting regional inter-connectivity.
Strengthening regional security co-operation to help tackle common threats, including corruption, serious and organised crime, trafficking of people, drugs and firearms, terrorism and violent extremism
facilitating political co-operation – to help the region resolve bilateral disputes and overcome legacy issues stemming from the conflicts of the 1990s and strengthen democracy and gender equality.
The UK wants a strong, stable and prosperous Western Balkans region. By hosting the summit in London, we demonstrate our continued interest and involvement in the stability of the region beyond our exit from the EU.
10 July 2018