In the six Western Balkan states there are still untouched rivers and river sections that are ecologically very valuable; here the confluence of the Ljuta and Neretva in Bosnia-Herzegovina. © Joshua David Lim

A new report published by ClientEarth provides an interim assessment of how effectively six Western Balkan countries are safeguarding their rivers by incorporating key EU laws related to hydropower projects into their national legislation. The analysis reveals that there has been some progress. However, the report also highlights specific systemic failures to comply with the EU framework.