The European Union and North Macedonia

The country was the first in the Western Balkans to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, which entered into force in April 2004. The SAA has ever since been the basis for progressive trade liberalisation and mutual duty-free access for most goods. 

The Joint Parliamentary Committee was established in 2004. The Committee meets annually and looks at all aspects of relations between the EU and the Republic of North Macedonia, particularly the implementation of the SAA. 

The country was granted candidate status for EU membership in December 2005. Citizens of the country were granted visa-free travel to the Schengen area in December 2009. 

In March 2020, the European Council endorsed the decision to open accession negotiations with North Macedonia. After the Council approved of the Negotiating Framework, in accordance with the revised enlargement methodology, on 19 July 2022 the EU started the opening phase of the accession negotiations with North Macedonia. In December 2023, the country completed the screening process.  

In 2023, the EU adopted the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans to boost socio-economic convergence of North Macedonia and the other countries in the region through gradual integration into the EU’s Single Market, regional integration within the Common Regional Market, and acceleration of fundamental reforms. 

In November 2024, North Macedonia and the EU signed the Security and Defence Partnership – a platform for enhanced dialogue and cooperation on security and defence issues in an increasingly complex global environment.

The country continues to fully align on EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy positions and declarations.

In addition, North Macedonia continues to actively participate in EU crisis management missions and operations under the Common Security and Defence Policy.

In 2025, the country received €15 million through the third bilateral assistance measure to strengthen defence capabilities under the European Peace Facility (EPF), bringing total EPF support to €38 million. The Balkans Medical Task Force, in which North Macedonia participates, benefits from a €6 million 2022 support under the European Peace Facility.

The EU provides support in facing hybrid threats, including cyber and foreign information manipulation and interference.

The SAAs established a free-trade area and eliminated of duties and non-tariff restrictions on bilateral trade. Only a few exceptions, concerning some agricultural and fishery products, are not fully liberalised, and are subject to reduced duties and/or preferential quantitative concessions. The EU is North Macedonia’s main trading partner, accounting for 77% of the country's exports and 49% of its imports. Germany is the biggest trading partner (accounting for 37% of total exports), followed by Great Britain, Greece, China and Serbia.

Exports from the country are centred around a few products, the most important being supported catalysts with precious metal, ignition wiring sets for vehicles, and cars seats.

The main import products are crude oil, metals and alloys of the platinum group, and electricity.

The EU Member States are the biggest investor in the country, accounting for two-thirds of the total foreign direct investments.

Support for business 

Some of the EU’s key programmes and initiatives to support the growth of businesses and the wider economy are open to companies based in the Republic of North Macedonia, including: 

• Horizon Europe 2021-2027 (the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation with a budget of €95.5 billion).
• Access2Markets (portal for EU export and import, providing all tariffs, customs procedures and formalities, product requirements for the EU market).
• Grow your business (subsidised advisory services to companies).
• Enterprise Europe Network (information and advice to companies on EU matters).
• INNOFEIT EDIH is a leading platform for digital transformation, innovation, and technological development in North Macedonia. It provides support to companies to enhance their competitiveness through the use of advanced digital technologies.
• European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is an EU body set up to strengthen Europe’s ability to innovate. It provides a wide array of innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives throughout the continent. 

Civil society organisations support the authorities of North Macedonia in implementing the structural reforms on the accession path. They mobilise citizens, voice peoples’ concerns, channel communities’ energy in support of sustainable development.  

The EU listens to civil society, works with civil society and advocates for the enhanced role of civil society organisations in the country’s sector-based policy dialogue.  

The EU also provides financial assistance to civil society projects through the Instrument for Pre-accession (IPA). The EU established the Civil Society Facility in 2008 to support the development of civil society in South Eastern Europe, and help them: 

• Play an active role in the policy dialogue, and support the accession process at the community level.
• Mobilise citizens and communities in finding local solutions and in running social inclusion initiatives.
• Engage with promotion of human, social and environmental rights.
• Be an effective watchdog in monitoring the government-driven structural reforms.
• Develop cross-border projects and networks. 

In the period 2014-2020, the EU provided EUR 24.3 million for projects of the civil society organisations in North Macedonia.  

The Republic of North Macedonia wants to become a member of the EU. To help achieve this goal, the EU provides continuous support and financial assistance via projects so that the country can undertake any necessary reforms. 

The Instrument for Pre-accession (IPA) is the main EU financing instrument to support the structural reforms in North Macedonia and the country’s accession path. Since 2007, the EU invested €1.6 billion, through the national IPA envelope, in five key areas: 

• Rule of law and fundamental rights
• Democracy and good governance.
• Protection of the environment and sustainable connectivity.
• Economic growth and human capital.
• Agriculture and rural development. 

The country benefits also from the IPA Multi-beneficiary Programme, which allocated EU assistance of €3.24 billion in 2014-2022 supporting projects with regional impact for the Western Balkans. 

Since 2008, the EU Western Balkan Investment Facility (WBIF) has supported estimated investments of €3.8 billion in the public sector of North Macedonia. To date, the country has received €502.1 million in grants, covering both technical assistance with €34.6 million and investment grants in the amount of €467.5 million. The country benefited from 10 EIP flagship investments in 2021-2024, channelling a substantial €973 million towards investments in sustainable transport, clean energy, wastewater treatment, and waste management. The WBIF contributed €300.5 million in grants to these investments, of which €296.7 million was EU IPA funding and €3.8 million was Bilateral Donor funding.

In addition, the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) has provided €10 million for projects enhancing democracy and human rights in the period 2007-2024.

Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) 

The EU also offers support through the TAIEX, which helps partner countries become acquainted with, apply and enforce EU laws. 

TAIEX funds short-term technical assistance, advice, and training. 

TAIEX assistance is open to: 

• Civil servants.
• Judiciary and law enforcement authorities.
• Parliaments/legislative bodies and their staff.
• Professional/commercial associations, workers, and employers' groups.
• Translators and revisers of legislative texts. 

In addition, the TAIEX Local Administration Facility (LAF) supports seminars on key EU policies which have an impact at a local level for both elected members and permanent officials of local and regional authorities. 

Europe House (former EU Info Centre) was founded by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of North Macedonia. The first Europe House was opened in Skopje on 4 November 2018 as a space where young people can meet, socialise and network, and thus stimulate innovation, debate, cooperation and critical thinking - while promoting the EU values. In 2021, Europe Houses were opened in Kriva Palanka and Strumica, followed by Bitola and Veles in 2023, and Struga and Tetovo in 2024, allowing young entrepreneurs, innovators and creatives to meet up and come up with new ideas also at a local level.  

Contact

https://europehouse.mk/

euinfo@euhouse.mk  

EUD