The EU-Western Balkans Summit will take place on May 17 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Bulgaria is now serving as the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2018. 

The Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the EU and their counterparts from the Western Balkan region are expected to attend this gathering.

The West Balkans has geo-political and economic importance for the EU. This fact might explain why the EU is willing to expand its membership to these countries on the condition that they can meet all the requirements of the EU accession process along the established path. 

Undoubtedly, each country’s progress will be evaluated individually and objectively. 

During the EU-Western Balkans summit in 2003, the EU unequivocally stated that all countries in the region would become members at some point. 

In his 2017 State of the Union address, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker re-affirmed the European future of the Western Balkans by saying: "If we want more stability in our neighborhood, then we must also maintain a credible enlargement perspective for the Western Balkans." 

But so far only Croatia is in the bloc; Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia are still on the waiting list.

Prizren in south of Kosovo /VCG Photo

Kosovo, a former Serbian province, declared independence in 2008. But its self-claimed independence remains unrecognized by such EU members as Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain.

Kosovo is likely to attend the summit as a "status of neutrality". But it is reported that Romania and Cyprus are refusing to participate at a summit where "Kosovo is treated as a state and where this country is promised the future of European integration". 

So it is anybody’s guess how the Kosovo issue will be dealt with at the summit by Bulgaria as well as the EU.

According to an EU press release, the summit will aim to inject new energy into the EU-Western Balkans relationship by focusing on three aspects:

- To reaffirm the EU's commitment towards its Western Balkans partners and reiterate the region's belonging to the European family;

- To strengthen links between the EU and the Western Balkans in infrastructure, digital and human connectivity;

- To work more closely together to tackle common challenges, such as security, migration, geopolitical developments and good neighborly relations.

Ban Jelacic Square, the main square in Zagreb /VCG Photo

It is reported that, in July 2014, President Jean-Claude Juncker announced that the EU would not expand before 2019. 

With Brexit on the move, closer relationship between the EU and the Western Balkans might contribute to the further development of the European integration. 

However, even for Serbia and Montenegro, the most advanced candidates, EU membership would not embrace them before 2025.

It is unknown whether other players with an interest in the Western Balkans region, such as China, will be mentioned at the summit as Albania, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are part of the 16+1 framework of cooperation, i.e., 16 Central and Eastern European countries and China.

Cooperation of the 16+1 has been fruitful, but the EU is quite concerned about it, accusing China of applying the strategy to “divide and rule”.

This kind of accusation is groundless. 

First of all, China respects the unity and collective actions of the EU. Second, China’s relations with the 16 CEE countries, including those in the Western Balkans area, are based on international rules and norms. Finally, China-CEE cooperation benefits the economic development of the 16 CEE countries, thus facilitating the European integration process.

One of the topics of the summit will be connectivity in the areas of infrastructure, digital and human connectivity. 

China’s Belt-Road initiative also stimulates connectivity and both the EU and the Western Balkans have keen interest in it.  

Therefore, the two “connectivity” can be mutual-reinforcing. If fully implemented, there would be a win-win-win outcome for all the three sides.

(The author is the director of the Center for Latin American Studies under Shanghai University.The article reflects the author’s opinion, not necessarily the views of CGTN.)