EU enlargement

Enlargement is the process whereby countries join the European Union.

How does EU enlargement work?

Any European country which respects the EU values referred to in the Treaty of the European Union (TEU) and is committed to promoting them can apply to become a member of the EU.

• Article 2 - Treaty on European Union (TEU)

Accession criteria

The first step is for the country to meet the accession criteria. These criteria were defined at a European Council meeting in Copenhagen in 1993, and often referred to as the 'Copenhagen criteria'. 

The Copenhagen criteria set a number of democratic, economic and political conditions for countries who want to join the EU: 

• stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities
• a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU
• the ability to take on and effectively implement the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union

The EU also needs to be able to integrate new members.

Benefits of EU enlargement 

• increased prosperity for all member states: 3 times more trade exchanges between old and new member states, 5 times more among new member states
• greater stability in Europe
• more weight for the EU in global affairs 

Enlargement strategy

The renewed consensus on the enlargement agreed at the European Council meeting in December 2006, continues to guide EU enlargement policy. EU leaders agreed to pursue a strategy based on: 

• the consolidation of EU commitments  to ongoing accession negotiations
• a fair and rigorous conditionality at all stages of negotiations with candidate countries
• greater transparency and better communication to ensure broad and sustained public support
• the EU's capacity to integrate new members

The Western Balkans

The European Council meeting in Thessaloniki on 19-20 June 2003 affirmed its determination to fully support the European perspective of the Western Balkans countries.  

At a EUCO meeting in December 2006, EU leaders confirmed that the future of the Western Balkans lies in the European Union.

The Western Balkans  will become an integral part of the EU once they fully comply with:

• the accession criteria
• the conditions established in the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP)

• European Council conclusions - Brussels - 14/15 December 2006
• European Council conclusions - Thessaloniki -19/20 June 2003

In February 2018 the European Commission adopted strategy for the Western Balkans.

• Strategy for the Western Balkans (European Commission)

Sofia summit

The EU-Western Balkans summit took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 17 May 2018. It brought together:

• heads of state or government from EU member states
• leaders from the six Western Balkans partners: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, The Republic of North Macedonia and Kosovo*

EU leaders agreed on the Sofia declaration, with which the Western Balkans partners have aligned themselves. They also adopted the Sofia priority agenda, as an annex to the declaration, outlining new measures for enhanced cooperation with the region. At the summit EU leaders reaffirmed their unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans. The EU is determined to strengthen its support to the region's political, economic, and social transformation.

• EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia, 17 May 2018

On 10 December 2018 foreign ministers discussed the Western Balkans. Following a year of very intensive relations between the EU and the Western Balkans, ministers had an opportunity to take stock of the EU's engagement and cooperation with the region. They recalled their expectations for the next steps in the region's progress on its European path, in particular on rule of law and fight against corruption.

• Foreign Affairs Council, 10 December 2018

Brdo summit

On 6 October 2021, the EU-Western Balkans summit hosted by the Slovenian presidency of the Council in Brdo pri Kranju, brought together leaders from EU member states and the six Western Balkans partners. During the summit, EU leaders adopted a declaration, which reaffirms the EU's unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans. It sets out initiatives to support connectivity and the green and digital transitions in the region, and commitments in the area of political and security cooperation. The declaration also refers to a range of concrete deliverables benefiting the Western Balkans, including the €30 billion Economic and Investment Plan (EIP), the pledge to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates and the path towards lower roaming costs.

• EU-Western Balkans summit, Brdo, Slovenia, 6 October 2021

In the Council

The General Affairs Council (GAC)  configuration establishes and supervises the EU enlargement process and accession negotiations. When a country submits an application to join the EU, the Council invites the European Commission to submit its opinion on this application.

The GAC decisions open a technical evaluation procedure that will determine whether:

• the country meets all the necessary criteria for consideration as an official candidate for EU membership
• formal membership negotiations can be opened and successfully closed  
• the candidate country can join the EU 

All decisions taken at the GAC to evaluate progress made by candidate countries require unanimous agreement between all the EU member states. 

Every year the GAC takes stock of the enlargement process. The discussion and any potential decisions are based on the Commission's annual enlargement strategy and individual progress reports on each enlargement country.

Latest developments

March 2020

On 24 March 2020, ministers for European affairs gave their political agreement to the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia. On 25 March, the conclusions on enlargement and stabilisation and association process were formally adopted by written procedure. On 26 March 2020 the members of the European Council endorsed the conclusions.

• Council conclusions on enlargement and stabilisation and association process

October 2019

On 15 October 2019, the Council discussed enlargement and the stabilisation and association process as regards Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia. Following the discussion, the presidency issued procedural conclusions noting that that the Council will discuss the issue after the October European Council.

The European Council on 17-18 October 2019 decided to revert to the issue of enlargement before the EU-Western Balkans summit in Zagreb in May 2020.

• European Council conclusions, 17-18 October 2019
• General Affairs Council, 15/10/2019
• Presidency conclusions on enlargement and stabilisation and association process, 15/10/2019

June 2019

On 18 June 2019 the General Affairs Council adopted conclusions on:

• the EU's enlargement policy, covering Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey
• the stabilisation and association process, covering the the Republic of North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo*

On 20 June 2019 the European Council endorsed the conclusions.

• Council conclusions on enlargement and stabilisation and association process, 18 June 2019
• General Affairs Council, 18 June 2019
• Enlargement package (European Commission)