Western Balkans
The overall situation in South Eastern Europe has improved in recent years. Democratic institutions and civil society are becoming more established. The dominant wish of all countries to join the EU as soon as possible has helped them to move closer to Europe, despite the fact that they have not all made equal progress or advanced at the desired speed.
Read more: Relations to South East Europe
After years of ultimately unsuccessful final-status negotiations between Serbia and the Kosovo-Albanians, Kosovo on 17 February 2008 declared its independence and was subsequently recognized by Germany and many other countries. The disintegration of the former Yugoslavia has been a fraught and long-drawn-out process. Now it is over, Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier hopes the region will put this troubled chapter behind it.
Read more: Kosovo
Since the Feira European Council (June 2000) all Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo) have held the status of "potential accession candidates" (confirmed in Thessaloniki in June 2003). Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia were granted "candidate country" status, and accession negotiations with Croatia have already begun.
Read more: The Stabilization and Association Process (SAP)
