Action 15
Ensure participation in the Coal Regions in Transition initiative for the Western Balkans
ROADMAP PROGRESS
The Coal Regions in Transition (CRiT) initiative concluded in December 2023. The 2025 GARI nevertheless reflects continued engagement across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia on issues related to the transition of coal-dependent regions, primarily through regional policy dialogue, exchange of experience and regional technical-support mechanisms. The initiative was not applicable to Albania, which has no coal-dependent regions. Nevertheless, the 2025 assessment finds progress uneven, with tangible transition outcomes at the domestic level still limited.
Structured coal phase-out planning, detailed decommissioning schedules and comprehensive socio-economic transformation strategies are not yet consistently developed across WB6. Coal phase-out commitments remain predominantly indicative rather than binding, and the assessment identifies no substantial acceleration in formalising detailed implementation pathways. North Macedonia is the most advanced, as the only WB6 with an adopted Just Transition Roadmap. Serbia adopted a Just Transition Plan in July 2025 alongside a 2050 coal phase-out horizon and established interministerial governance arrangements, although financing mechanisms remain under development. Montenegro and Kosovo* are still developing draft transition plans, although Montenegro retains a 2041 closure horizon for Thermal Power Plant (TPP) Pljevlja and both have longer-term Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) commitments. Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet defined a clear coal phase-out timeline or implemented an operational coal-exit strategy. The EU will support the transition through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) III-financed Just Energy Transition (JET) Balkans technical assistance action, starting in June 2026.
Note: Action 15 of the first Green Agenda Action Plan (2021–2030) is deleted in the Revised Action Plan (2025–2030).
PARTICIPATION IN THE COAL REGIONS IN TRANSITION INITIATIVE FOR THE WESTERN BALKANS 6 WHEN IT WAS ONGOING
| Albania | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Kosovo* | Montenegro | North Macedonia | Serbia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARTICIPATION IN THE COAL REGIONS IN TRANSITION INITIATIVE FOR THE WESTERN BALKANS 6 WHEN IT WAS ONGOING | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
Source: Energy Community Secretariat (2025) Annual Implementation Report of the Acquis under the Treaty Establishing the Energy Community, November 2025. Data compiled in Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) (2025) Report on the Implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans Action Plan (GARI 2025), Table 12.
PLANNED YEAR OF COAL PHASE OUT
| Draft NECP | PPCA | |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | Not indicated, no coal in electricity generation | Coal-free (electricity sector) PPCA member |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | No phase-out in electricity generation | Not a member of PPCA |
| Kosovo* | No phase-out in electricity generation | 2050, PPCA member |
| Montenegro | TPP Pljevlja is expected to be decommissioned by 2041 | 2040, PPCA member |
| North Macedonia | No phase-out in electricity generation. However, the coal-fired thermal power plants (TPPs) Bitola and Oslomej are scheduled for conversion by 2027-2029 (decommissioning of Oslomej and Bitola TPPs). | 2030, PPCA member |
| Serbia | 2050 (for electricity generation) | Not a member of PPCA |
Source: Energy Community Secretariat (2025) Annual Implementation Report of the Acquis under the Treaty Establishing the Energy Community, November 2025. Data compiled in Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) (2025) Report on the Implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans Action Plan (GARI 2025), Table 13.