Debate on improving the EU’s enlargement process
MEPs will assess the European Commission’s proposals on how to strengthen the EU accession process, on Monday.
The European Commission recently published its revamped approach on enlargement that should give new impetus to the EU enlargement process. Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi already presented the proposals in the Foreign Affairs Committee last Wednesday and MEPs will now discuss it in a plenary meeting on Monday.
The new practice, designed to help the EU prepare and negotiate with countries wishing to join the EU, is based on four main principles: credibility, predictability, dynamism and political steer.
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.
Commission statement
Debate: Monday, 10 February