Enlargement of the European Union

Croatia has achieved an unprecedented milestone, becoming the first country to simultaneously join both the eurozone and the Schengen area on January 1, 2023. However, this historic move has sparked mixed sentiments within the nation.

Last week European leaders focused on EU enlargement, from the Western Balkans to Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. While the EU wants closer ties with these countries, it has also made it clear that it expects reforms, particularly when it comes to issues related to the rule of law and justice.

European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to start accession talks with EU candidates Ukraine and Moldova while granting formal candidate status to Georgia.

Accession talks themselves could take a decade or longer. Below is a list of countries hoping to one day become members of the EU, and their formal status:

COUNTRIES WITH CANDIDATE COUNTRY STATUS

BRUSSELS - The European Council on Friday released a package of conclusions adopted at the December 14-15 Brussels summit, in which it reaffirmed "its full and unequivocal commitment to the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans", calling for acceleration of the region's accession process.

"The European Union is ready to conclude the initial phase of the accession negotiations for North Macedonia as soon as the country fulfills its commitment to accept the constitutional amendments," stated the adopted conclusions on enlargement, Ukraine and reforms from the EU summit.

The European Council calls on North Macedonia to accelerate the completion of these changes.

Diplomatic sources from Brussels reaffirmed on Tuesday Greece's stance that it will not consent to Albania's EU accession process without progress on the issue of the elected mayor of Himare, Fredi Beleri.

A recent EU survey by YouGov and Datapraxis conducted across six member states highlights contrasting opinions on potential expansions. Support for Ukraine's accession emerges, but skepticism looms over Turkey and the Western Balkans. The findings impact upcoming decisions at the European Council summit regarding EU enlargement and budget allocation.

The Survey's Key Insights:

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called on European Union leaders to refrain from making decisions on initiating negotiations for Ukraine's membership and withholding financial aid at next week's summit in Brussels. Orban's plea comes amidst the European Commission's proposal to consider Kyiv's readiness for negotiations, contingent on further obligations by March 2024.

Intense diplomatic consultations are reportedly taking place to get Greece to agree to send a letter on behalf of the European Council to Tirana so that Albania can begin negotiations on its first batch of EU accession chapters.

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday the EU should revitalise its enlargement policy and that Western Balkan countries belonged in the EU.

Speaking at the opening of the 23rd Belgrade Economic Forum at Metropol Hotel, Dacic said the enlargement policy had transformed the EU into an important factor in the international arena.