Western Balkans digital summit backs a regional AI roadmap to 2030 and alignment with the EU AI Act

The eighth Western Balkans Digital Summit, held in Herceg Novi, Montenegro, on 13 and 14 October, welcomed an AI Roadmap for the Western Balkans Six, according to the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), which developed the roadmap with regional partners. The RCC says the roadmap sets a common direction for responsible AI development and adoption and a framework for regional AI readiness, governance, innovation and alignment with European standards, and that it is expected to be endorsed at the forthcoming Berlin Process Leaders' Summit. In the summit's conclusions, participants welcomed the roadmap, with its Vision 2030, five strategic priorities and cross-cutting measures, as the common regional direction; mandated the RCC to support its implementation, including an AI Readiness Assessment and an Implementation Action Plan; committed to using a regional AI Working Group to strengthen cooperation with the EU's Apply AI Alliance; and committed to aligning their domestic regulatory frameworks with the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. Montenegro's Ministry of Public Administration, which organised the summit, said on 18 October that the roadmap was presented and adopted at the summit.

What it means for business: the roadmap is not law, but companies working across the Western Balkans can expect national AI rules in the region to move towards the EU AI Act over time as part of the EU accession path.