19 September 2021: A new EU funded project worth €1.3 million was launched recently to support the preparation of Flood Risk Management Plans and Strategic Environmental Assessments for the four river basins - Zapadna, Južna and Velika Morava and Kolubara. The Technical Assistance assignment is being carried out in support of the Central Serbia Flood Risk Management Project which will contribute significantly to the management of flood risk, in accordance with the European Floods Directive, and to the reduction in damage caused by flooding.

14 September 2021: Building a modern, digitalised rail network, with direct express train connections between major cities in the region will help establish better connectivity and provide safer and environmentally sustainable mode of transport for people and businesses in the Western Balkans. This was recognised as key priority of the Dedication to Rail, signed on Monday 13 September by ministers in charge of transport in the region at the 1st Western Balkans Rail Summit, held in Belgrade. The event was organised by the EU’s Permanent Secretariat of Transport Community, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), under the auspices of the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of Serbia.

12 September 2021: On Friday, the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a €1.2 million cooperation agreement with Republika Srpska to support water and sanitation services. Through the water sector rehabilitation programme, the funds will ensure the effective execution of activities and a rapid preparation of the investment projects, with expert technical assistance services. The project aims to upgrade the quality of the water and waste water services, provide it to unconnected households and improve living conditions for over 216,000 people.

07 September 2021: The EU continues strengthening its support to the management of flood risk in Albania as a new Technical Assistance project, worth over €2 million has been launched. Building on the work of the EU funded PRONEWS Project which amongst others produced flood hazard maps for the most exposed areas in the country, the new assignment will support the preparation of Flood Risk Management Plans and Flood Risk Maps in five river basins: Erzen, Ishem, Shkumbin, Seman and Vjosa Rivers, as well as feasibility studies for specific flood protection measures.

28 August 2021: Work has started on the construction of a new power substation in Ohrid, a key component of the first electricity interconnector between Albania and North Macedonia, which will range from Bitola in North Macedonia to Elbasan in Albania. The project, financed by the European Union (EU) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is part of the EU’s initiative to establish an East-West electricity transmission corridor between Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and Italy. The start of construction works was marked on Sunday in Ohrid in the presence of the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, Albania's Deputy Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Ilir Bejta, as well as representatives of the EBRD and EU.

26 July 2021: The European Union has supported the construction of new capacities and reconstruction of technical faculties of Belgrade University through a technical assistance grant, implemented by Infrastructure Project Facility 7 Consortium, which is contracted by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The lead International Financing Institution on the project is the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB).

05 July 2021: On Wednesday, President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, participated in the Western Balkans Summit in the context of the so-called 'Berlin Process'. The summit brought together for the eight time Heads of State or Government from the Western Balkans and their counterparts from nine EU Member States, high-level EU representatives and the United Kingdom, to advance on their regional cooperation and European integration agenda. The virtual meeting was hosted by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

04 July 2021: The final event of the PowerUP programme which supports innovative SMEs and startup companies from the Western Balkans took place on 29 June 2021. Eleven finalist companies had the opportunity to pitch their businesses in the best light in front of eminent investors from the region. The project, launched by the World Bank in November 2020, and funded by the European Union under the Western Balkans Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility (WB EDIF), was implemented with the support of consulting company Deloitte.

29 June 2021: On 25 June, the Western Balkans Enterprise Development and Innovation Facility (WB EDIF) held its first virtual Business Forum. The event was organized by the Enterprise Europe Network and supported by the European Commission and the European Investment Fund. More than 130 participants from the entire Western Balkans region and beyond attended the Business Forum. Most of the attendees were Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), local intermediaries and entrepreneurs.

24 June 2021: The Western Balkans Investment Framework held an informal meeting on 24 June. The meeting was co-chaired by Katarína Mathernová, Deputy Director-General, EC-DG NEAR and WBIF Bilateral Donors' representative Harald Waiglein, Director General for Economic Policy, Financial Markets & Customs Duties, Federal Ministry of Finance, Austria.

15 June 2021: On Tuesday, the beginning of preparatory works on the reconstruction and modernization of the port of Brčko, a project co-funded by the European Union, was officially marked. The event was attended by the Mayor of Brčko, the President of the Brčko Assembly, representatives of the European Union, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Office of the High Representative.

13 June 2021: TA Round 26 for technical assistance and INV Round 6 for investment grants are open.