For coal-dependent communities in the Western Balkans, the launch of the JET Balkans project marks a welcome end to more than two years without a dedicated regional support platform. But with political commitment, funding and transparency still in short supply, local authorities and civil society are wondering whether the initiative can turn planning into meaningful implementation, or whether it will repeat the shortcomings that have slowed just transition efforts across the region.
The current situation among district heating companies in Serbia provides a timely warning for Western Balkan governments still betting on new fossil gas infrastructure. In recent years, these governments have shown renewed interest in building new gas infrastructure. Many projects have been on the table for years, but new schemes are also being actively promoted by the United States.
The Operational Programme Technologies and Applications for Competitiveness (OP TAC) is one of the Czech Republic’s flagship EU funded programmes for the 2021–2027 period.
A new chapter for the EIB Group Complaints Mechanism?
July 9, 2026 | Read more
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is currently reviewing its Complaints Mechanism Policy – the framework for how the EIB Group Complaints Mechanism (EIB-CM) addresses complaints from individuals and communities harmed by EIB-funded projects. This review is long overdue.
All EU Member States were required to prepare a draft national building renovation plan and submit it to the European Commission by 31 December 2025.
The Western Balkan countries have low or no fossil gas dependence, but the United States is trying to change this. As a major gas producer, its approach to the region is increasingly clashing with the EU’s decarbonisation agenda, raising the threat of increased import dependence or stranded assets.
