In person event
With increasing global demand for critical raw materials and rare earths, the EU and its industry are scrambling to tap into the huge reservoir that is the Western Balkans. While the domestic authorities are unquestionably in favour of selling lucrative concessions, citizens are largely against mining projects due to their environmental harm. There are also concerns that the lithium rush will further undermine the fragile democracies of states at different stages of the EU integration process.
These prospects raise several questions: is mining the best economic and development model for the future prosperity of the Western Balkan countries? Do these projects comply with the rule of law and environmental and health standards? What consequences do such projects have on the countries’ pre-accession processes and on the EU enlargement policy overall?
The Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) is a group of policy analysts, scholars and researchers, established as a joint initiative of the European Fund for the Balkans and the Centre for Southeast European Studies of the University of Graz with the aim to promote the European integration of the Western Balkans and the consolidation of democratic, open countries in the region.
