A series of measures to promote regional cooperation between Western Balkan countries totalling €272.75 million for the period 2012-2013 were finalised by the European Commission. This European institution highlighted that the funds will support among others cooperation with international financial institutions to mobilise funding and help develop civil society.

€272.75 million for the period 2012-2013 were allocated by the European Commission to promote regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. This funding comes under the 2012-2013 Multi-beneficiary and Cross-Border programmes of the EU's Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). In addition, in December 2012, the European Commission announced that over €300 million will be made available to innovative and high-potential small and medium size companies (SMEs) in the Western Balkans.

The Commission highlighted that the funds will support cooperation with international financial institutions to mobilise funding, help develop civil society, support education schemes such as student mobility programmes, and help beneficiaries meet the requirements for EU membership and align their standards with the EU. This will complement the funding of individual national programmes by focusing on regional aspects and helping countries to learn from each other's experience.

European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle stressed that the EU funds will help the Western Balkans to achieve economic prosperity and political stability. Since 2007, countries wishing to join the EU have received focused EU funding and support through a single channel – the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). The total pre-accession funding for the period 2007-2013 is €11.5 billion.