State Aid Scoreboard: Western Balkans

The State Aid Scoreboard is an open, data-driven platform developed by Finance Think – Economic Research & Policy Institute, Skopje and the regional WEBecon Network of think tanks working on solutions for economic and social development of the Western Balkans. It provides accessible insights and visualizations of state aid data spanning 2018–2024, helping policymakers, analysts, journalists, and the public better understand how government support measures are distributed and evolve over time.

State aid refers to financial support and incentives provided by the state — such as grants, tax benefits, or preferential loans — that give certain companies or sectors an economic advantage. Understanding these measures is crucial for transparency, fair competition, and informed public debate about economic policy and governance. Definitions and regulatory frameworks underpinning state aid can differ by context, but broadly speaking, it represents any form of public intervention that has the potential to influence market competition by favoring specific actors or activities.

This scoreboard draws on official data and research to present trends and patterns over time, offering a foundation for evidence-based discussion and improved accountability in the design and implementation of state aid policies. The data for each country have been collected from different sources, by the following organization:

• Albania: Development Solution Associates, Tirana
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Center for Development Evaluation and Social Science Research, Sarajevo
• Kosovo: GAP Institute, Pristina
• Montenegro: Institute for Strategic Studies and Prognosis, Podgorica
• North Macedonia: FINANCE THINK – Economic Research & Policy Institute
• Serbia: Center for Advanced Economic Studies, Belgrade

State Aid Scoreboard is maintained as part of WEBecon’s broader mission to enhance the impact of economic and social trends on citizens’ lives by advancing rigorous research, data transparency, and public engagement.

The platform has been developed within the project ‘Establishment of a platform for dialogue and transparency of state aid in the Western Balkan – 6’ funded by the Open Society Foundations Western Balkans.