The Commission places strong emphasis on reform implementation, institutional maturity and the effectiveness of public administrations, areas that align closely with the CEF’s mission to strengthen public financial management, support evidence-based policymaking and build institutional capacity. By helping countries turn EU recommendations into tangible, verifiable outcomes, CEF has become a practical driver of reform and EU policy implementation.

Responding to the Commission’s findings, Jana Repanšek, CEF Director, says: “The 2025 Enlargement Package confirms that strong public institutions are the foundation of trust, growth, and Europe’s future. With our programs, the CEF helps ensure that these institutions become real drivers of reform - institutions that deliver results.”

As the EU prepares a single, performance-based external action instrument for the next Multiannual Financial Framework, mechanisms such as the Reform and Growth Facility, IPA and the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) will become more closely integrated. In this context, CEF projects are gaining even greater relevance. The “Structural Reforms Better Integrated Within Fiscal Frameworks” (FISR2) project, an EU-funded, multi-beneficiary capacity development project, has strengthened countries’ abilities to link structural reforms with macro-fiscal planning. Its follow-up project, EUReady, aims to continue developing capacities in structural reforms, investment planning and public finance, supporting economic convergence and more effective dialogue with the EU. Together, these projects reinforce economic governance, support evidence-based policymaking and enhance the administrative capacities required for the EU accession.

Reforms Hindered by Capacity, Not Ambition

Recent exchanges with Economic Reform Programme (ERP) and Reform Agenda teams from the Western Balkans, Türkiye, Ukraine and Moldova, held at a CEF-coordinated high-level conference in Brussels, highlighted both progress and ongoing challenges. Countries continue to face difficulties in defining realistic reform milestones, coordinating across institutions, securing quality data and assessing the long-term fiscal impact of reforms. Monitoring remains one of the most demanding tasks due to complex reporting requirements and limited resources.

Peer Learning as a Catalyst for Change

Participants highlighted the value of peer learning and regional cooperation, describing CEF as an important platform for structured dialogue with the European Commission. CEF’s support in designing indicators, monitoring tools and reform roadmaps was identified as essential for meeting the requirements of performance-based instruments such as the Reform and Growth Facility and ERPs.

Turning Recommendations into Results

Several concrete reform examples emerged: North Macedonia’s digital monitoring system is improving oversight of reform steps. Montenegro’s professionalized audit and internal control systems show how sustained learning boosts institutional maturity. Albania’s improved integration of ERP analysis into fiscal frameworks reflects the benefits of cross-ministerial collaboration, a recurring CEF theme. These cases illustrate a shared understanding across the region: learning is the engine of reform implementation.

As the EU moves toward a more integrated and results-oriented enlargement framework, the CEF’s role as a trusted partner for reform prioritization and implementation continues to grow. By enhancing institutional learning, the CEF strengthens countries’ ability to absorb EU funds and deliver reforms, thus supporting one of the key criteria of the EU enlargement process.