From Yugoslavia to the Western Balkans: tracing the evolutions of relations between the EU Institutions and the region in the 1990s

The former Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia is known to have developed, al- ready during the Cold War, consistent economic and diplomatic relations with the European Communities ‒ later, the European Union. After its dissolution, the EU institutions engaged very actively in the Western Balkans’ region, taking at turns the role of peace builders, institutions builders, State builders and, lastly, Member States’ builders, for more than twenty years. This makes of the Enlargement to the region one of the most important wagers for EU foreign policy in the new millen- nium. Starting from the last years of EC-Yugoslavia relations and setting a time-OLQH WKDW JRHV IURP WKH V WR WKH V WKH DUWLFOH UHYLHZV WKH PRVW VLJQL¿FDQW aspects of EU institutions involvement in the region. By analysing key documents of the EU institutions – the Commission, the Council, the Parliament – it aims to trace the different EU institutions’ positions and how they evolved over time.