The Member States are divided on whether to take a decision at the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 18 June on the opening of negotiations for the accession of Albania and North Macedonia to the EU. The June 2018 Council had called on the June 2019 Council to return to this issue (see EUROPE 12049/1).
"Member States are divided on whether the adoption of conclusions at the June General Affairs Council on North Macedonia and Albania is appropriate", a European source told EUROPE on Wednesday 12 June. The discussions will continue intensively in the coming days, the source added.
On the same day, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, also warned that the decision could be postponed. "Not all Member States are ready to take the decision to open negotiations in the coming days", he acknowledged at a press briefing with Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski (see other news). However, he tried to be optimistic, explaining that the question was not whether or not the negotiations would open, but more when they would open. "I am a little cautious because I know that sometimes it takes longer than I would like to reach a consensus between 28 Member States", the President of the European Council added.
And while a few days ago, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, hoped that negotiations could be opened this summer (see EUROPE 12268/12), he was more cautious on Tuesday 11 June. "We shouldn't focus on June. Parliaments have to approve it, and they are not in session in June. It could be later, but it must be made clear that the time has come to open EU accession negotiations", he explained at a press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (see other news).
The German Bundestag has not yet given its opinion on the opening of accession negotiations, leaving Germany without a clear position. France, the Netherlands and Denmark are opposed to this opening.
Asked about a possible opening for North Macedonia and not for Albania, Mr Juncker said that both deserved to open their negotiations and that they should be opened "without decoupling the two countries". Some Member States would be inclined to give the green light for Skopje, but not for Tirana. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)