The European Union's Balkan development policy

After more than a decade of cooperation between the European Union and the formerly socialist Balkan countries, the latter—in stark contrast to a number of other ex-socialist countries—are characterised by severe transition problems, poor economic conditions, political instability and proneness to military conflict. Against this background, our author evaluates the EU's past and present Balkan development policies, concluding with some suggestions towards a new strategy of cooperation.