BRUSSELS – Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, today presented the annual enlargement reports on the progress of ten candidate and potential candidate countries to the members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) of the European Parliament. Commenting on the overall state of enlargement, Várhelyi said that now it is not the issue of If but when the EU would accept new members and that the Commission is ready to support the ambitions of Montenegro and Albania to close accession talks by 2026 and 2027, respectively.
It is the last time Várhelyi is presenting the enlargement reports to AFET as Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement. AFET Chair David McAllister stated at the start of the session that this year the presentation was delayed, given the fact that the reports were released on 30 October.
Speaking about the 2024 Enlargement Package, adopted last month by the European Commission, Várhelyi stressed that the EC has been “working tirelessly to make the EU more visible, in each of the regions, including the Western Balkans”.
“The enlargement is back on the top of the agenda of the EU… In 2020 we revised the enlargement methodology and it became a more credible process… The enlargement process should be tangible to the people and the EC launched the initiatives aimed at boosting the social-economic development of the enlargement countries”, Várhelyi said.
Referring to the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, worth 6 billion Euros in grants and loans, he underlined that it should bring the region closer to the EU, and promote the gradual accession of the countries to the Union.
European Commission releases the 2024 Enlargement Package: How much has each candidate advanced?
According to Várhelyi, the 2024 Enlargement Package is a detailed assessment of the states of play, as well as a clear guidance to further reforms.
“The enlargement is and will continue to be the merit-based process”, he noted.
Speaking about the EU path of the Western Balkans Six, Várhelyi underlined that Montenegro and Albania had the possibility to conclude EU accession talks by 2026 and 2027, respectively, adding that he supported Serbia’s ambition to open more clusters.
“Serbia needs to speed up the reforms, particularly in the domain of rule of law…Kosovo needs to intensify its efforts to strengthen the rule of law and meet its obligations regarding the normalisation of relations with Serbia… North Macedonia should make constitutional changes in order to make progress in the EU accession process”, Várhelyi remarked.