What does the Western Balkans cost me?

Amid the renewed momentum for European Union enlargement triggered by Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, expectations are mounting that the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will translate political resolve into tangible financial planning. With negotiations on the MFF 2028-34 already underway, the EU urgently requires a sound and realistic assessment of the budgetary implications of future accessions – something that remains notably lacking. Building on the size and structure of the current MFF, this study seeks to fill that gap by providing a detailed, data-driven, and up-to-date estimate of the fiscal impact of the Western Balkan (WB) countries joining the EU.