We argue that the Western Balkans form part of a ‘super-periphery’ of Europe, being highly
vulnerable to the effects of the Eurozone crisis yet lacking support from the EU bailout funds
and policy instruments that are available to ease the crisis impact on the ‘peripheral’ EU
Member States. The crisis has been transmitted through several channels including exports,
remittances, foreign investment and bank credit flows. The paper investigates the impact of
the Eurozone crisis on the region in a comparative perspective, considering the crisis effects
in six countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia).
It questions whether the EU accession process continues to offer hope of economic prosperity
in the future or whether the countries of the super-periphery should rely more on their own
resources, new alliances, and regional cooperation to support future economic growth.