Aligning the foreign policies of the Western Balkan countries in the cases of the EU’s use of targeted sanctions

Abstract

This paper analyses how the foreign policies of the Western Balkans countries – through the examples of the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Albania, which are part of the Stabilization and Association Process – need to align with the EU when targeted sanctions are imposed. The paper argues that the start of SAP did not mean instant cooperation in the sphere of imposition of targeted sanctions. In this respect, the practice of potential candidate countries was mainly to align their foreign policies with the UN. When the prospects of membership were emphasized at the European Council in Thessaloniki in 2003, the “Thessaloniki Agenda for the Western Balkans” provided for political dialogue and cooperation in the area of Common Foreign and Security Policy. Through this Agenda, the European Union enabled a closer collaboration with the Western Balkan region in the implementation of targeted sanctions. Consequently, the paper focuses on the legal and institutional structure established within the two Western Balkan republics – North Macedonia and Albania, which are candidate countries for EU membership and how such structure enables them to cooperate effectively in the implementation of targeted sanctions. This is because after an EU Council Decision on imposition of restrictive measures is enacted the candidate countries need to take all necessary measures to align their foreign policies in the respective area with the EU. Finally, the paper concludes that the adoption of legislation for implementation of restrictive measures together with the establishment of a supporting institutional structure within the candidate countries sends a strong political signal to the European Union and to the international community in general that the Western Balkans are willing and ready to respect established regulations on targeted sanctions.