WIIW The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies - Wiener Institut für Internationale Wirtschaftsvergleiche

image credit: converge2eu

Vienna/Ljubljana/Brussels, 9 October 2025 — A new initiative, converge2eu, was launched today to provide an in-depth, data-driven analysis of how the Western Balkan countries are progressing toward European Union standards of living. By tracking how people in the region actually live, through economic, social, and institutional indicators, converge2eu offers a unique insight into the region’s journey toward convergence with the EU.

Covering Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, the initiative measures performance across eight key areas of life: economy, social well-being, health, education, environment, governance, digitalisation, and infrastructure. The results are presented through an interactive online dashboard that makes complex data accessible and comparable.

The data and dashboard will be presented publicly for the first time today at the Ignita Forum in Prizren, Kosovo, and will subsequently be showcased in each Western Balkan country.

“converge2eu aims to redefine the concept of convergence by focusing on how people in the region actually live, how that compares with the EU, and whether these are improving or not,” said Branimir Jovanović from The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw). “We also want to turn these insights into policy action, both from the regional governments and from the EU, and in that way support the region’s long-term goal of achieving EU-level prosperity and full integration into the Union.”

What makes converge2eu particularly distinctive is its long-term vision. It aims to become a permanent initiative, that will track progress over time, allowing policymakers and the public to see where improvements are being made — and where gaps remain. It contains a strong advocacy component that works to translate data into policy impact, helping to drive tangible reforms and improvements across the eight areas of measurement.

To achieve this, project partners will collaborate closely with national governments in each of the six Western Balkan countries, as well as with European institutions and international financial organisations. This on-the-ground engagement ensures that evidence from the dashboard informs real policy processes and supports decision-makers in aligning regional standards with those of the European Union.

“Convergence is not only a technical process, it is about ensuring that citizens across the Western Balkans enjoy the same opportunities, rights, and quality of life as those in the EU,” said Zoran Nechev from Think Europe. “By making reliable data accessible and actionable, converge2eu helps policymakers and stakeholders focus on what matters most: tangible improvements in people’s everyday lives.”

Environment, education and infrastructure should be the main focus

Initial findings from the converge2eu dashboard highlight several areas requiring urgent attention from policymakers across the Western Balkans.

The environment emerges as the most critical concern, with performance not only lagging behind the EU average but also showing signs of further deterioration. Education follows closely: while outcomes remain relatively solid—largely a legacy of the socialist era—they are declining across the region. Economic performance and infrastructure demand renewed focus, as both sectors continue to stand at roughly one-third of the EU level despite recent improvements.

Nevertheless, the data also reveal encouraging trends. Digitalisation stands out as an area of strength, with the region achieving around 75% of the EU level and maintaining steady progress. Some Western Balkan countries are on track to reach full convergence in digitalisation within the next decade, showcasing the transformative potential of sustained investment and reform.

About coverge2eu

converge2eu is coordinated by the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (Austria) and Think Europe (Slovenia), and implemented with partners from the six Western Balkan countries: Dritan Shano (Albania), Centre for Policy and Governance (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Riinvest Institute (Kosovo), Institut Alternativa (Montenegro), Association for Research and Analysis (ZMAI) (North Macedonia) and Institute for Development and Innovation (Serbia). It is supported by the Open Society Foundation – Western Balkans.

For more information and to explore the dashboard, visit: converge2.eu  

Media contact

Špela Majcen Marušič

Think Europe

spela.majcen@thinkeurope.si