BRUSSELS – Enlargement today is different than it was five years ago and we have a huge opportunity to move things forward. For the first time in ten years, there is the realistic prospect that during this mandate we can bring one, two, or three countries to the finish line, said Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement during today’s exchange of views with the members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament (AFET).
In the first debate with Marta Kos since she took office as Commissioner for Enlargement on 1 December 2024, the members of AFET assessed the state of play in the ten enlargement countries and their progress in implementing EU-related reforms.
In her opening remarks, Kos stated that, in spite of the momentum of the enlargement, the process remained merit-based.
“There will be no geopolitical discount, the enlargement remains a merit-based process”, Marta Kos stressed.
She also announced that she would soon visit Montenegro, Moldova and Albania.
Rule of law and fundamental values are the cornerstones of the enlargement policy
According to Kos, the enlargement is a project of a whole society, it is not a matter of only a Parliament and a Government.
“We see a world where the size and power are being used as blackmail and a world where many would like to see Europe fail and where they are investing considerable sources to achieve that. The situation in Georgia and the energy blackmail in Moldova are stark reminders of the challenges we faced… Peace, freedom and prosperity in our continent depend on the strength of the unity and the size of the EU”, Kos claimed.
She reiterated that the rule of law and fundamental values would continue to be the cornerstones of the EU’s enlargement policy.
In her opinion, during the current Polish presidency of the Council of the EU, there is a possibility of opening one or two clusters with Ukraine and Moldova, as well as of making progress on several chapters and clusters with the Western Balkans.
“If candidate countries stick to the progress reforms, during the Polish presidency we can see more progress than in the last ten years”, Kos remarked.
Announcement of the visit to Montenegro
Speaking about the aspirations of the Western Balkans countries to become EU member states, the Commissioner for Enlargement announced that she was going to visit Montenegro by the end of the week.
“We have started the mandate with opening one cluster with Albania and with closing three chapters with Montenegro… I will go to Montenegro this week to celebrate their achievement and to encourage further progress during the Polish presidency”, she announced.
Kos added that during the visit she would also go to Cetinje, to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic massacre which took place on 1 January.
According to Kos, the goals set by Montenegro and Albania to close all the chapters in the EU accession process by the end of 2026 and 2027, respectively, are “highly ambitious” but can be achieved.
“The call of unity will be my key message during the trip to Montenegro… Governments and parliaments alone cannot do all the job, the enlargement needs to be a national project”, she remarked.
“Serbia has to fulfill certain criteria for opening Cluster 3”
Kos added that she would visit Albania and Moldova in February and recalled that on the first day of her mandate, she travelled to Ukraine with the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and President of the European Council António Costa.
“We went to Kyiv to show support to the nation which has been resisting Russian full-scale war.. The people in Ukraine can count on the EU to prepare them for the EU membership as they implement necessary political, institutional, social and economic reforms”, she underlined.
Referring to the EU path of Serbia, Marta Kos reminded that it was not possible to open Cluster 3 in December 2024.
“Serbia has to fulfill certain criteria for opening Cluster 3… We are now following the non-paper – what they have promised to deliver”, she clarified.
In a similar vein, she noted that North Macedonia should show the will to change its Constitution in order to make progress in the EU accession process.
According to Marta Kos, “those who implement the necessary reforms should reap the benefits of their efforts”.
“Moldova has done a lot, and it needs our help more than ever… On the other hand, the situation in Georgia is a stark reminder that backsliding can happen… The actions of the authorities against peaceful protestors are entirely unacceptable”, Kos remarked, adding that the visa-free regime with the country could be partially suspended.