The EU-funded capacity building programme for the Western Balkans continues

Budapest, March 4, 2026 - The third phase of the European Union (EU) -funded technical assistance programme, entitled “Strengthening the Central Bank Capacities in the Western Balkans with a view to the integration to the European System of Central Banks (ESCB)”, has been launched. The initiative is coordinated by the Deutsche Bundesbank and implemented with the participation of 19 EU national central banks—including the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB)—as well as the European Central Bank (ECB). The programme will run between 2026 and 2028 with the primary objective of strengthening the institutional capacities of the central banks and banking supervisory authorities of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

The project’s main aim is to further enhance the analytical and policy toolkits of the institutions in the Western Balkan countries, by facilitating the adoption of international and European best practices and by supporting the process of legal harmonization. The EU has allocated €3 million to the programme from its Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III). Over the next three years, an intensive regional training programme will be implemented on key central banking and supervisory issues, including bilateral measures and high-level meetings, which will create opportunities for knowledge sharing and professional cooperation.

Previously two regional central banking projects were carried out for Western Balkan countries between 2019–2021 and 2022–2025, with a combined budget of €5 million, in which the MNB also participated. The MNB intends to actively contribute to the success of this new third phase: our experts will deliver lectures at five training events focusing on current topics such as payment systems, financial education, monetary policy and research, as well as green finance and sustainability. In addition to the seminars, the MNB will cooperate bilaterally with the National Bank of Serbia on the topic of “Macroeconomic analysis and forecasting", further deepening professional ties with Hungary’s southern neighbour.

The Magyar Nemzeti Bank remains committed to actively participating in international cooperation initiatives that support the European integration of institutions in the Western Balkans in the long term.

Magyar Nemzeti Bank

Vissza a tetejére

The primary objective of the MNB shall be to achieve and maintain price stability. (...) Without prejudice to its primary objective, the MNB shall support the maintenance of the stability of the system of financial intermediation, the enhancement of its resilience, its sustainable contribution to economic growth; furthermore, the MNB shall support the government’s economic policy and its policy related to environmental sustainability, using instruments at its disposal.