The EU is preparing to accelerate the accession of Western Balkan countries
The European Union is discussing the possibility of accelerating the accession process for six Western Balkan countries, in an effort to make the path to membership less protracted and more predictable. Officials in Brussels acknowledge that the current procedure often causes frustration among candidate countries. Therefore, new approaches to enlargement are being developed.
There is growing talk within the European Union that the enlargement process needs to change, and new decisions are currently being prepared that could accelerate the accession of Western Balkan countries to the bloc, as the current multi-year procedure is often perceived as too slow and complicated.
This was stated by European Council President António Costa during a press conference in Belgrade, emphasizing that the EU wants not just to discuss enlargement, but to actually move forward and show results to candidate countries that have been waiting for membership for many years. “Enlargement is not a utopia, but something that can become a reality in the coming years. To achieve this, we need to work harder and faster,” said Costa, effectively outlining Brussels’ main message to the region.
Currently, six countries are involved in the European integration process—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Montenegro—which have been navigating the complex path of reforms and compliance assessments with EU standards for years, but have not yet reached the final stage.
Brussels acknowledges that geopolitics is playing an increasingly significant role in this process, as the EU seeks to curb the influence of Russia and China in the Balkans, where competition for influence has noticeably intensified in recent years and become more palpable for the region. To become a member of the European Union, countries must align their legislation with European standards in 35 different areas—from the judicial system to agriculture, and every step in this process requires the unanimous consent of all 27 EU member states, which significantly slows down progress.
Currently, Montenegro and Albania have made the most progress in negotiations and are considered the frontrunners among the candidates, while Serbia and Kosovo remain in a more complicated situation due to the need to normalize bilateral relations, which is also a key condition for further European integration. This is reported by APnews.
The EU may change the terms of temporaryprotection for Ukrainians, according to the European Commission.
As a reminder, Slovakia has automatically extended the term of temporary protection for Ukrainians who fled Ukraine due to the full-scale war unleashed by Russia until March 4, 2027.
In addition, Ukrainians who have received temporary protection in Ireland can breathe a sigh of relief, as the country’s authorities have automatically extended their immigration permits until March 4, 2027.
Although the EU has extended temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until 2027 and guaranteed them access to housing, the labor market, education, and healthcare, the situation is already changing in many ways.
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