BRUSSELS, May 7 (Reuters) - EU ministers will call next week for a streamlining of delivery of billions of euros of European aid to the Western Balkans and a pooling of funds to ensure more efficient delivery to priority infrastructure projects.

A statement to be endorsed by finance ministers from the 27 existing EU states next Wednesday follows on from proposals set out by the European Commission in March aimed at maintaining public support in the Balkans for eventual EU membership.

The statement was approved by ambassadors of the EU states on Wednesday, ahead crucial elections in Serbia on Sunday seen as a test of that country's desire to join the EU.

The statement calls for rapid implementation of an planned Investment Framework for the Western Balkans due for completion in 2010, which EU officials say will be able to provide 1 billion euros ($1.55 billion) in loans to priority projects.

The draft also calls for pooling of grant aid from financial institutions, EU member states and other donors, possibly though an investment fund.

It calls for the rapid establishment of a common website and consideration of establishing a one-stop shop where beneficiaries could request financial support and get advice on the availability of assistance.

An EU official said the aim was to cut down bureaucratic delays involved in applications for funding from multiple institutions, which were worse if they involved projects straddling more than one country.

The European Commission's March paper said the European Investment Bank would boost lending to the Western Balkans to 2.8 billion euros in the 2008-10 period from 1.9 billion in 2006-2007. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom)

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