The growth performance of the pre-accession countries improved in 2013. GDP growth turned positive in the four Western Balkan economies
that had experienced recession in 2012 and gathered pace in the other countries where it had slowed down. Albania might be the sole exception to this general pattern. Having picked up in the first quarter and generally accelerated in the second quarter, growth further increased in the third quarter in several countries, including in Serbia where it had significantly weakened in the second trimester. It was driven in several cases by a surge in exports, a positive development albeit supported by volatile factors such as favourable weather conditions. Higher growth generally translated into some improvements or a stabilisation in labour market conditions but unemployment remains at very high levels in all Western Balkan economies. A common pattern of reduction of some macro-economic imbalances prevailed.