Capacities in the context of European integration

The continuing development of the capacities of all governance and societal bodies is an important requirement for western Balkans countries. EU experience, with the implementation of the policy of economic, social and territorial cohesion through the Europe 2020 Strategy, provides important lessons to be learned for enlargement countries. Chiefly, modern societies should be cohesive ones, while all public and societal structures need to develop their capacities to provide the conditions which ensure that economic growth has a direct influence on human development and social inclusion. The European Social Model and the open method of co-ordination are very demanding challenges for the western Balkans. These issues are demonstrated through an explanation of the ‘South-East Europe 2020’ Strategy as well as through the example of Montenegro. The author concludes that the uncritical copying of the instruments and mechanisms of the European Social Model in western Balkans countries is likely to have very limited effects and that the EU integration process implies a need to strengthen the capacities of all societal bodies.