Debate on improving the EU’s enlargement process

The debate with Commissioner Várhelyi will assess the recently published revamped approach on enlargement that should give new impetus to the EU enlargement process.

The EU will continue to be seen as credible if it delivers on its commitments to uphold a merit-based process, said Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, when he presented the reviewed enlargement methodology in the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) last week. Throughout the lengthy negotiations and preparations, stronger political steering and high-level engagement from member states is needed, he added. The methodology also includes reversibility, meaning that if a country goes backwards in its reforms, the EU can reverse the process.

Background

The revision comes amid disappointment over the Council’s failure to agree on opening accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania in October last year.

Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey have already started accession negotiations. Albania and North Macedonia have the status of candidate countries, while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries.

You can watch the plenary debate via EP Live, and EbS+.