On Wednesday 30 October, the European Commission presented its report on enlargement, which provides an assessment of the progress made by candidate countries in joining the EU. Enlargement has enjoyed renewed momentum over the last year, becoming one of the Commission’s “main objectives” for the next mandate. The six countries of the Western Balkans – Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia – have, according to the Commission’s reports, made progress in their reforms since 2023, but are still suffering from internal political problems that are delaying their integration.
See the full communication: https://aeur.eu/f/e3a
Albania. On 15 October, Albania opened Cluster 1 of the European Union acquis, the so-called fundamental, after receiving the green light from the EU (see EUROPE 13504/1). The Commission hopes that the Albanian authorities will ensure “an acceleration of EU-related reforms”, particularly as regards the rule of law, by “effectively combating corruption and organised crime” and promoting “media freedom, property rights and the rights of minorities”.
Tirana is delighted with this significant step forward, and has stated its ambition to become a full member of the EU by 2030.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/e3b
Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since March 2024, Bosnia and Herzegovina has made progress in adopting EU-related reforms and has maintained “full alignment with the EU common foreign and security policy”, according to the Commission. Tangible results have been achieved in “migration management, the integrity of the judicial system, the fight against organised crime, terrorism, money laundering and conflicts of interest”.
However, developments in the Bosnian Serb Republic have “hampered” this positive dynamic, notably with the adoption in April of laws on elections, referendums and immunity, and the persistence of secessionist rhetoric in the region.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is also the only country in the Western Balkans not to have finalised its reform agenda as part of the Growth Plan for the region (see EUROPE 13510/19).
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/e3c
Kosovo. Although the liberalisation of visas for Kosovo (which came into force on 1 January 2024) is presented as a success, the very slow process of normalising relations between Pristina and Serbia continues to weigh heavily on the country’s progress. The Commission’s report also stresses the importance of implementing the obligations of the Ohrid Agreement signed in 2023 (see EUROPE 13480/13).
The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, stressed at a press conference that “normalisation and progress towards the EU are interdependent, they go hand in hand. One will not be possible without the other”.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/e3e
North Macedonia. In the case of North Macedonia, the ‘screening’ sessions for the six clusters of the EU acquis were completed in December 2023. Since 2023, there have been few changes: the country still needs to continue implementing its reforms, particularly with regard to “the judicial system, the fight against terrorism and organised crime”.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/e3f
Montenegro. Despite being the most advanced country in the negotiation process, progress has stalled since the last enlargement report (see EUROPE 13288/2). All chapters have been opened and three provisionally closed. Future accession negotiations will depend on reforms in the area of the rule of law (Chapters 23 and 24).
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/e3g
Serbia. While Belgrade has opened 22 of the 35 negotiating chapters, two of which are temporarily closed, it is the government’s foreign policy that continues to pose problems.
“No progress was made”, notes the Commission, as Serbia persists in its complacency towards Russia. Several actions and statements by the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vučić, have run counter to the EU’s foreign policy positions, including the refusal to follow the EU in imposing sanctions on Vladimir Putin’s regime (see EUROPE 13477/10).
“We want to count on Serbia as a partner and we need it to reassure us of its strategic direction. The deepening of ties with Russia or China is a major concern in the light of the current geopolitical context “, reiterated Josep Borrell, believing that Serbia’s membership “will be compromised” if it fails to align itself with the Union’s values and strategies.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/e3h (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)