(InCLUDE) – Include the Western Balkans in the EU as Full Members
InCLUDE is a three-year initiative by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), supported by the Open Society Foundation – Western Balkans, designed to reinvigorate the EU enlargement process and help the Western Balkans take the final, decisive steps toward EU membership.
Amid renewed geopolitical urgency, the project confronts the institutional fatigue, political scepticism, and reform bottlenecks that continue to delay accession. Despite the renewed political momentum framing enlargement as a geostrategic imperative, significant obstacles remain – ranging from institutional fatigue and political scepticism within the EU to persistent reform challenges in the candidate countries. InCLUDE addresses these issues head-on by combining policy-oriented research, high-level dialogue, and strategic communication.
About the Project
At its core, InCLUDE seeks to reshape enlargement policy to be more effective and credible, so it can truly deliver on membership. It focuses on three interconnected dimensions:
- Accession policy no longer fit for purpose. Over time, EU enlargement process has become overly complex and fragmented, often driven more by internal EU dynamics than by clear, merit-based criteria for candidate countries. The accession policy, as it stands, appears to be designed not to deliver on enlargement. This must be changed. Against this backdrop, this project aims to provide evidence-based research that assesses past experiences and helps decision makers and policy makers to simplify, streamline and refocus a process designed to deliver new EU accessions.
- Bilateral friends and foes. The mini-lateralization and bilateralization of EU enlargement by a small group of states or even a single member have become defining features of the accession process in the Western Balkans. Against this backdrop, the project tackles the growing influence – both positive and negative – that member states have had on enlargement. While doing so, it aims to detach the enlargement process from bilateral disputes and to allow the friends of enlargement to become true enablers of progress.
- The nexus between enlargement and other EU priorities. For the Western Balkans to join the EU as full members, it is crucial to strengthen the link between enlargement and broader EU priorities. This includes reinforcing connections between Western Balkan accession and the EU’s expansion to Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, as well as ensuring coherence between EU widening and deepening – especially regarding reforms of the EU decision-making procedures, the budget and related policies. Enlargement must stay high on the EU agenda by emphasizing its relevance for defence, strategic autonomy, economic security, competitiveness, energy, climate, and migration.
A distinctive element of InCLUDE is its focus on Italy’s role in shaping a more coherent and inclusive approach to enlargement, particularly in view of its upcoming EU Council Presidency in 2028.
Local Impact
Through targeted research, fellowships, and sustained engagement with policymakers, InCLUDE strengthens the intellectual and institutional foundations for enlargement in the Western Balkans.
It creates opportunities for local researchers to collaborate with leading European policy institutions, amplifying regional expertise and integrating it into EU-level debates.
By doing so, it empowers local actors to shape the reform and integration narratives from within, fostering ownership of the European project across the region.
Regional Impact
At the regional level, InCLUDE promotes constructive dialogue among Western Balkan countries, EU member states, and institutions to counter fragmentation and restore momentum to the enlargement agenda.
It positions the Western Balkans not as perpetual candidates but as structurally embedded actors in Europe’s political, economic, and security architecture.
By connecting enlargement to the EU’s broader strategic priorities, the project helps reframe the region as central to the Union’s renewal and long-term stability.