The agricultural situation has gradually improved in most Western Balkan countries, but many steps on the way to European Union (EU) accession remain. This is the core message of the current report "Agriculture in the Western Balkan countries", which focuses on the EU candidate countries Croatia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as well as the potential candidate countries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244/99), Montenegro and Serbia.

Edited by Tina Volk from the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, this report bundles the results of an expert group of distinguished agricultural economists from this part of Europe. The report is an outflow of the 7th framework project "AgriPolicy", which was financially supported by the European Commission. As a representative of the series editor, the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe (IAMO), I am particularly pleased that it appears as the 57th volume of its "Studies on the Agricultural and Food Sector in Central and Eastern Europe". Publication in IAMO’s Studies series is a very welcome complement to the other research activities that IAMO pursues in the Western Balkan region.