TIRANA, Sept 8 /ATA/ – The re-elected President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has announced that her upcoming five-year mandate will feature a dedicated Commissioner for Enlargement, as she has reaffirmed her commitment to accelerating the EU enlargement process.
Inclusion of three Eastern Europe countries – namely Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia – alongside the six Western Balkan states – Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Türkiye – has brought the total number of nations in the enlargement process to ten.
All, except Kosovo, have formally received the EU candidate country status.
Kosovo has submitted its bid to join the bloc since December 2022, but its application hasn’t been reviewed to date.
Across the European Union, support for expansion has grown.
The outgoing European Council President Charles Michel has suggested 2030 as a realistic timeline for the EU to accept new members.
Other EU leaders have echoed this sentiment, calling for both the EU and candidate countries to step up efforts to complete the necessary reforms.
Montenegro, which has made the most progress in its EU accession talks, is aiming for membership by 2028. Its president, Jakov Milatović, has voiced confidence that his country will be ready by then.
However, EU officials have been cautious, warning that no definitive timelines can be set, as each country’s membership hinges on its individual progress in meeting accession criteria.
Diplomats in Brussels have acknowledged that if political will exists on both sides, the 2030 target could be realistic. But this will require candidate nations to accelerate reforms and EU member states to expedite the negotiation process.
While von der Leyen has pledged to make enlargement a priority, experts say the EU must demonstrate its commitment by admitting at least one new member soon.
Since Croatia joined in 2013, no new country has entered the bloc, marking the longest period without expansion in the EU’s history.
The process remains in the hands of the EU’s 27 member states, as any decision on enlargement requires their unanimous approval. For now, von der Leyen’s renewed focus on the issue offers hope to nations waiting at the EU’s door.
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