Journals / İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 8 Sayı: 1

EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework

Batı Balkanlar'da AB Enerji Politikası Uyumu: Energy Community Çerçevesinde Farklılaştırılmış Entegrasyon, Kapasite ve İsteklilik

Pages
23–47
Publication Date
2026-06-22
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The study emphasizes that EU enlargement policy needs to differentiate conditionality by taking into account the different conditions of each country and that the membership promise needs to be provided with a concrete timeline.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study examines the compliance of Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) with European Union energy policy within the Energy Community framework from a differentiated integration perspective.
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Key Findings & Data:The main argument of the study is that while the institutional structure of the Energy Community successfully promotes formal acquis compliance, significant deviations emerge at the substantive implementation stage.
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Conclusion & Impact:The study emphasizes that EU enlargement policy needs to differentiate conditionality by taking into account the different conditions of each country and that the membership promise needs to be provided with a concrete timeline.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2020-2025 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Energy · Integration · Energy Community

Abstract

This study examines the compliance of Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) with European Union energy policy within the Energy Community framework from a differentiated integration perspective. The main argument of the study is that while the institutional structure of the Energy Community successfully promotes formal acquis compliance, significant deviations emerge at the substantive implementation stage. Throughout the 2020-2025 period, the inconsistency between the EU's "REPowerEU" strategy and its goal of complete disengagement from Russian energy by 2027 and the energy policies of Western Balkan countries has deepened. The systematic examination of European Commission Progress Reports and Energy Community Implementation Reports demonstrates that the Energy Community performance of WB6 countries differs within the framework of capacity and willingness factors. The study reveals that each of the six countries exhibits different compliance profiles and that this differentiation is shaped by both technical-administrative capacity and political will. Document analysis shows that hierarchical external governance mechanisms can ensure formal compliance, but substantive compliance remains limited due to capacity deficiencies, geopolitical dependencies, and the uncertainty of membership perspective. The study emphasizes that EU enlargement policy needs to differentiate conditionality by taking into account the different conditions of each country and that the membership promise needs to be provided with a concrete timeline.

Özet

Bu çalışma, Batı Balkan ülkelerinin (Arnavutluk, Bosna-Hersek, Kosova, Karadağ, Kuzey Makedonya ve Sırbistan) Energy Community çerçevesinde Avrupa Birliği enerji politikasına uyumunu farklılaştırılmış entegrasyon perspektifinden incelemektedir. Çalışmanın temel argümanı, Energy Community'nin kurumsal yapısının formal acquis uyumunu başarıyla teşvik ettiği ancak substantive uygulama aşamasında önemli sapmalar ortaya çıktığıdır. 2020-2025 dönemi boyunca AB'nin “REPowerEU” stratejisi ve 2027 yılına kadar Rus enerjisinden tam kopuş hedefi ile Batı Balkan ülkelerinin enerji politikaları arasındaki uyumsuzluk derinleşmiştir. Avrupa Komisyonu İlerleme Raporları ve Energy Community Implementation Raporlarının sistematik incelemesi, WB6 ülkelerinin Energy Community performansının kapasite ve isteklilik faktörleri çerçevesinde farklılaştığını göstermektedir. Çalışma, altı ülkenin her birinin farklı uyum profilleri sergilediğini ve bu farklılaşmanın hem teknik-idari kapasite hem de politik irade ile şekillendiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Belge incelemesi, hiyerarşik dış yönetişim mekanizmalarının formal uyumu sağlayabildiğini ancak substantive uyumun kapasite eksiklikleri, jeopolitik bağımlılıklar ve üyelik perspektifinin belirsizliği nedeniyle sınırlı kaldığını göstermektedir. Çalışma, AB genişleme politikasının her ülkenin farklı koşullarını dikkate alarak koşulluluğu farklılaştırması ve üyelik vaadinin somut zaman çizelgesine kavuşturulması gerektiğini vurgulamaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Uyğun, E. D. (2026). EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework. İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, Cilt: 8 Sayı: 1, 23–47. https://doi.org/10.47899/izsbd.1870768

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