The plan identifies ten investment flagship initiatives in key areas for economic development such as sustainable transport and energy connectivity, the green and digital transformation, strengthening the competitiveness of the private sector and support to health, education and social protection, including a youth guarantee to create job opportunities for young people.  

In the context of the Green and Digital transition, the Commission will examine the costs, the benefits and the impacts of the following priority investment flagships and their corresponding project proposals with a view to take them forward actively and expediently

Under Flagship 8 (DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE) the development and roll-out of national broadband infrastructure in the six Western Balkans partners will continue and the preparation of further investments elsewhere will be accelerated with particular focus on connecting rural areas. Secure, energy-efficient and trustworthy data centres, edge and cloud infrastructures are to be set up while ensuring alignment with EU's rules and fundamental values, including data protection, as well as linking to EU initiatives on high performance computers, digital incubators and innovation hubs.

Under Flagship 9 (INVESTING IN THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR) a plan shall be fostered to increase the grant amount to support the private sector under the Western Balkan Investment Framework. 50% of EU private sector funding should be dedicated to innovation and green growth.

In addition to the EU's significant funding to the region already foreseen under IPA III, the EU aims to provide guarantees to help reduce the cost of financing for both public and private investments and to reduce the risk for investors: support through the new Western Balkans Guarantee Facility has the potential to mobilise up to €20 billion of investments in the next decade.

The Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), including its private sector platform the Western Balkans Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility (WB EDIF) and the Western Balkans Guarantee Facility, gathering Western Balkans partners, bilateral donors and International Financial Institutions will be the main vehicle to ensure swift deployment of the investment package.

The plan's broad approach is expected to support the development of connected, competitive knowledge-based, sustainable, innovation oriented and thriving economies in the Western Balkans, with an increasingly dynamic private sector. 

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