Joining the European Union has been the common goal of the Western Balkan countries for almost two decades. Since they have small economies and low level of economic development, it is necessary for them to act together through various forms of regional networking and cooperation. The historical legacy, of both far and recent past, often represents an enormous obstacle to the development of mutual cooperation within this group of countries. It also constrains the use of the existing opportunities for their faster economic growth. The article focuses on the current impasse of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, due to political and economic uncertainty. Special attention has been devoted on problems affecting the role of the European Union as an “external actor” supporting regional cooperation. On the other hand EU membership aspiration can bear significant transformations in the Balkan domestic scenes. It represents, for all the countries in the region, a good motive to correct the existing shortcomings; and creates new prospects for the future regional role of the EU and what's more allows for new considerations concerning the region’s place in the European geopolitical sphere