The Role of the EU as a Peacebuilder in the Western Balkans

After the Cold War, the Western Balkan countries have become an important laboratory for the EU, able to exert its EU crises management and transformative power. Through restoring stability in the region, overcoming ethno-territorial and inter-ethnic conflicts, improving regional cooperation, consolidating democracy, building democratic institutions and promoting market economy, EU's goal was to make war unthinkable in this region. Referring to the definition of peacebuilding as 'action to identify and support structures which tend to strengthen and solidify peace to avoid a relapse into conflicts'(2), this paper tries to explore whether, how and to what extent, EU has contributed as a peacebuilder in the Western Balkans, using crises management operations and mission and enlargement policy. It argues that both these instruments can be considered equally relevant as, on the one hand they create favourable conditions for lasting peace, security and stability in the region and on the other hand, through enlargement policy they push this region towards political and institutional reform, economic reforms and regional cooperation.