WESTERN BALKANS IN THE PROCESS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AND THE CONTRIBUTION OF REGIONAL AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Abstract

The Thessaloniki Agenda for the Western Balkans,  determined that European Union supports Western Balkan countries to prepare their future in European structures and ultimate membership in the European Union, while the principles of "own merits" and "catch" will be applied in parallel with regional approach, which remains an essential element of EU policy for the region. When discussing Western Balkan countries  likely candidates to be potential members of the European Union, the responsibility of the local self-government units, it is important to know what Community obligations are incumbent upon these authorities. In this context, there is often a tendency to think, in the first place, of obligations of local and regional authorities to implement European directives on the basis of national implementing legislation, for instance the issue of environmental licences or the application of European public procurement rules. The implementation of directives is, however, only one of the Community obligations which local and regional authorities have.