Salzburg/Marseille. The EU's enlargement policy must once again become a real priority, demanded IRE chairman Franz Schausberger at the 9th Summit of Regions and Cities of the European Committee of the Regions in Marseille. The terrible events in Ukraine and the associated massive upheavals in the entire European security structure require a radical change in the previously neglected enlargement policy.

With an "enlargement booster" by the EU, the following concrete steps are to be taken:

• Intensification of the existing negotiations with Serbia and Montenegro with the aim of an early conclusion
• Immediate start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania
• Declaration of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo as candidate countries
• Concretely implemented reforms must result in immediate progress in the negotiation process

Each of the six Western Balkan countries should take one step forward in the process; promises made by the EU, such as visa liberalization for Kosovo, must be kept immediately.

"If we continue to stick to the policy of announcements, empty phrases, promises and bogging down in irrelevant details, non-European, undemocratic powers will unabashedly take advantage of the frustration of the people in the Western Balkans," Franz Schausberger warns of the influence of China, Russia and other powers with other values and concepts in this region.

„The top-down approach has largely failed, hence EU should focus on the bottom-up approach,” explains the IRE chairman and demands that compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, decentralization and strong local self-government should be essential criteria for progress on enlargement.

"Trust is the most important asset," warns Schausberger, "Europe cannot afford to lose the pro-European citizens in the Western Balkans and Southeastern Europe!"

Franz Schausberger is President of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE), Member of the European Committee of the Regions of Europe (CoR) and Special Adviser to the European Commission. His focus is on Southeastern Europe, decentralization and regional empowerment.