Araştırma Makalesi

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

Cilt: 8 Sayı: 1 22 Haziran 2026
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EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kaynakça

  1. Allert, V., Nikolovska, E., Pantić, O., & Qorri, F. (2025). The Energy Transition in the Western Balkans: Bottom-up Approaches for an Accelerated Structural Change.
  2. Bechev, D. (2023, October 9). The Green Transition and the Western Balkans [Carnegie Endowment]. Retrieved January 19, 2026, from Carnegie Europe website: https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2023/10/the-green-transition-and-the-western-balkans?lang=en
  3. Becker, T., & Åslund, A. (2024). The EU’s Dependence on Russian Energy—A Force that Divides or Unites the Union? In A. Bakardjieva Engelbrekt, P. Ekman, A. Michalski, & L. Oxelheim (Eds.), The Borders of the European Union in a Conflictual World (pp. 147–175). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-54200-8_7
  4. Belloni, R. (2024). Serbia between East and West: Ontological security, vicarious identity and the problem of sanctions against Russia. European Security, 33(2), 284–302. https://doi.org/10.1080/09662839.2023.2290048
  5. Bieber, F. (2015). The Serbia-Kosovo Agreements: An eu Success Story? Review of Central and East European Law, 40(3–4), 285–319. https://doi.org/10.1163/15730352-04003008
  6. Blockmans, S., & Crosson, D. M. (2019). Differentiated integration within PESCO –clusters and convergence in EU defence (Researach Report. No. 2019/04). Brussels: CEPS.
  7. Börzel, T. A. (2011). When Europeanization Hits Limited Statehood. The Western Balkans as a Test Case for the Transformative Power of Europe. KFG Working Papers. Retrieved from https://ideas.repec.org//p/erp/kfgxxx/p0030.html
  8. Brkić, D. (2024). Serbian Energy Sector in a Gap Between East and West. Energy Exploration and Exploitation, 42(1), 330–340. https://doi.org/10.1177/01445987231215445

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

Bölgesel Çalışmalar, Uluslararası İlişkiler (Diğer)

Bölüm

Araştırma Makalesi

Yayımlanma Tarihi

22 Haziran 2026

Gönderilme Tarihi

24 Ocak 2026

Kabul Tarihi

10 Haziran 2026

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 2026 Cilt: 8 Sayı: 1

Kaynak Göster

APA
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, 8(1), 23-47. https://izlik.org/JA52MX26HS
AMA
1.Uyğun ED. EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework. İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 2026;8(1):23-47. https://izlik.org/JA52MX26HS
Chicago
Uyğun, Ekin Deniz. 2026. “EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework”. İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 8 (1): 23-47. https://izlik.org/JA52MX26HS.
EndNote
Uyğun ED (01 Haziran 2026) EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework. İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 8 1 23–47.
IEEE
[1]E. D. Uyğun, “EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework”, İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, c. 8, sy 1, ss. 23–47, Haz. 2026, [çevrimiçi]. Erişim adresi: https://izlik.org/JA52MX26HS
ISNAD
Uyğun, Ekin Deniz. “EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework”. İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 8/1 (01 Haziran 2026): 23-47. https://izlik.org/JA52MX26HS.
JAMA
1.Uyğun ED. EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework. İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 2026;8:23–47.
MLA
Uyğun, Ekin Deniz. “EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework”. İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, c. 8, sy 1, Haziran 2026, ss. 23-47, https://izlik.org/JA52MX26HS.
Vancouver
1.Ekin Deniz Uyğun. EU Energy Policy Alignment in the Western Balkans: Differentiated Integration, Capacity and Willingness within the Energy Community Framework. İzmir Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi [Internet]. 01 Haziran 2026;8(1):23-47. Erişim adresi: https://izlik.org/JA52MX26HS
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