The Management Board of the Chamber and the Business Club Europe held a joint working meeting with H.E. Michalis Rokas, Ambassador of the European Union to the RNM, focusing on the EU prospects for the Macedonian economy.

In his address, the President of the Economic Chamber, Branko Azeski, stressed that for the Macedonian business sector, EU integration is not a political option, but rather an economic and developmental imperative.

"Our economy is small, open, and deeply integrated with the European Union—you all know very well the figures that demonstrate what a crucial trade partner and investor the EU is. Our companies already collaborate with EU firms, export to the EU market, participate in EU supply chains, and implement EU standards. Therefore, from our perspective, EU integration should not be something that begins only upon accession; EU integration must happen today. This brings us to the core issue—business cannot remain perpetually 'on the road to Europe.' For more than two decades, we have been talking about our country's EU prospects. However, the economy does not have an infinite amount of time to wait. In business, lost time equals lost competitiveness, and that is something we must address openly. EU is not merely a destination—EU is a standard. Macedonian business clearly and publicly proves every single day that it is ready to fight to meet that standard, and in many respects, it matches and surpasses it," Azeski pointed out.

H.E. Ambassador Rokas highlighted the importance of sustaining reform momentum and furthering alignment with EU standards, emphasizing the active involvement of the business community. Addressing integration into the Single Market, he referred to the report scheduled for release on 30 September 2026, which is intended to outline avenues for gradual integration and access to the EU Single Market for candidate countries. He also drew attention to the opportunities arising if the pace of commitments under the Reform Agenda is maintained, noting that unused funds from other Western Balkan countries could become accessible to Macedonia should it effectively fulfill the milestones set out in the Reform Agenda.

At the same time, he emphasized that none of these interim arrangements can substitute for full EU membership, stressing that national efforts must be entirely dedicated to resolving outstanding bilateral issues to unblock accession negotiations. He reiterated that enlargement remains high on the EU agenda and that the current momentum must be seized, pointing to recent examples set by Montenegro and Albania.

Gligor Cvetanov, President of the Business Club Europe, noted that companies are willing and ready to work toward full integration into the EU Single Market. However, he stressed that they encounter numerous hurdles stemming from EU Single Market rules and standards, which place the domestic economy in a challenging position: on the one hand, domestic firms cannot access the benefits enjoyed by EU-based companies (such as structural and cohesion funds or EU free trade agreements), while on the other, they must adhere to identical compliance burdens across many areas. For this reason, deep economic integration prior to accession remains critical.

Cvetanov underlined the need to provide comprehensive support for companies during their accession to the EU Single Market—support that the Chamber could deliver in cooperation with the EU Delegation—to ensure domestic firms are prepared to meet EU market criteria and regulations, while also upskilling workforce on essential issues regarding enhanced EU economic cooperation. He further stressed the necessity of developing an action plan with clear benchmarks, responsibilities, and deadlines across priority integration areas.

In the ensuing discussion, members of the Management Board and the Business Club Europe exchanged perspectives with Ambassador Rokas on priority challenges facing companies in their relations with the EU, the private sector's views on steps required to unblock accession negotiations, and progress toward upholding core EU values—first and foremost the rule of law—as a fundamental prerequisite for accelerated integration and competitive growth for Macedonian companies.

The meeting concluded by reaffirming the importance of sustained dialogue between the business community and European Union institutions, alongside the need to further deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Both parties expressed their readiness to maintain close communication and joint initiatives in support of Macedonia's EU prospects and sustained economic advancement.