The effects of the Berlin process on the European integration of the Western Balkans

The aim of this study is to identify the ways in which the Berlin Process contributed to the idea of integration between the Western Balkans and the European Union. In this sense, the research question of the study reveals the successes and failures of the Berlin Process and points out how the Berlin Process opened doors for the future success of the integration process. After the end of the Cold War, the European Union launched a series of new initiatives to keep the dreams of membership alive for the countries in the region. In order for this goal to transform into integration, the European Union began to explore ways to meet annually with the leaders of the Western Balkans and to increase cooperation on technical issues. In this framework, the first meeting of the foreign ministers of the Western Balkan countries took place in Berlin in 2014 on the initiative of Germany and the UK, and the so- called Berlin Process was established. The Berlin Process aims to advance the European Union agenda in three dimensions: (1) economic growth and connectivity, (2) good neighborhood and regional cooperation, and (3) civil society development and people-to- people contact. In conclusion, it is clear from all these issues that the European Union has been pursuing different policies in the Western Balkans for a very long time for various reasons. A number of initiatives and agreements have been made due to both the structural problems of the countries and the crises that have emerged as a result of foreign policies and pressures. However, this process has not yet resulted in full membership. This inadequacy will also be analyzed in the study.