In a letter addressed to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Commissioner for Trade Phil Hogan, Commissioner for Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, and to the High Representative Josep Borrell, on behalf of the WB6 CIF business community, President Cadez welcomed the Commission’s work to provide a coordinated response to support the Western Balkans’ real economy, including SMEs and the ailing private sector.

“While the spread of coronavirus is questioning the very foundations of our health care systems, our economies in the Western Balkans, likewise the rest of Europe, but also the world is facing unprecedented challenges. Now more than ever, European solidarity is needed. We are proud that Europe is our home.”, the letter stated.

The letter conveyed that the Western Balkans’ business community welcomes the endorsement of the Commission to include EU-Western Balkans border-crossings along the Trans-European Transport Network and continuing support for the expansion of the green lanes in the Western Balkans region.

Alongside the appreciation for the assistance package and solidarity addressed to the Western Balkans so far, the letter also encouraged the Commission to exempt the Western Balkans from export authorization for personal protective equipment.

Unity and solidarity, as the firm foundation of the European idea, are the means through which we can tackle this crisis of unprecedented proportions, the letter concluded.

Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF) is a joint initiative of chambers of commerce and industry from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

The chambers established a platform of cooperation in 2017 with the aim to provide a joint voice to the business community in the region and to facilitate inter-business contacts and promote the region as one investment destination. WB6 CIF represents around 350,000 companies, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises in its mission to open new opportunities for stronger networking of business communities within the region by removing the remaining obstacles to the development of the regional economic cooperation and improving business and investment climate in the markets of the WB region.

Source: https://www.wb6cif.eu/2020/04/10/wb6-cif-welcomes-eu-support-to-the-western-balkans/