New GEO-POWER-EU Publication | Current State of Play: EU Power in the Western Balkans and Eastern Neighbourhood
We are pleased to announce the release of our first public deliverable, “Current State of Play: Baseline Study and Conceptual Framework”, produced as part of Work Package 1 of the GEO-POWER-EU project.
This comprehensive baseline study—led by the University of Bologna and developed with contributions from multiple consortium partners—maps the EU’s evolving role in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, offering critical insight into enlargement policy, democratic backsliding, economic convergence, and geopolitical competition with Russia, China, Turkey, and the United States.
Key topics include:
- The stagnation and political challenges of EU enlargement
- The security implications of the EU’s geopolitical awakening post-Ukraine invasion
- Russia and China’s strategic ambitions in the region
- Democratic erosion and state capture in Western Balkan states
- A conceptual framework to guide future GEOPOWER research
This foundational document will serve as a critical reference point for the project’s next stages and a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and civil society actors engaged in EU foreign policy and regional stability.