The EU’s two top institutions seemed to be suffering from a lack of agreement – and even consultation – over enlargement last week as European Council President Charles Michel proposed a 2030 target for the EU for candidate countries in southern-eastern Europe.
“Enlargement is no longer a dream… it is time
French President Emmanuel Macron’s tenure as EU President is already looking historic for Europe, only two months in. Macron promised that the rule of law mechanism would be introduced during his six-month term, pledging “a presidency that promotes values which define us”, and has been at least partly vindicated
The heads of governments of the three Eastern Partnership countries at the front of the queue for EU membership are jointly urging a speeding up of the integration process.
The visits of officials from Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine precedes the regular EU-Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit scheduled for 15 December 2021
Leaders of EU member states and six countries in the Western Balkans – known as the WB6 – will renew vows of a “shared future” at Brdo Castle near Slovenia capital Ljubljana on 6 October.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen travelled to all of the WB6 capitals in
In Serbia, early parliamentary elections will likely be held between 20 March 20 and 3 April of next year. Those dates have been leaked from talks between the ruling party coalition and the opposition on Monday. The presidential and municipal elections will presumably be held at the same time.
Negotiations
As part of several deals signed that facilitate trade and movement, leaders from three Balkan states – Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia – agreed to an open border policy between them for travelers and commerce, effective 1 January 2023 if everything goes according to plan.
Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, and the
North Macedonia’s bid for EU membership has been blocked by Bulgaria over a language dispute. But EU member Croatia is pledging its support for North Macedonia’s accession to the EU.
Top leaders of Croatia and North Macedonia met this week, stressing their good relations. Croatia’s prime minister,
Ahead of the EU foreign ministers council meeting on Monday, a working document entitled “EU reinforced engagement in the Western Balkans” details the region’s disillusionment with the slow, stop-and-go European Union enlargement process. The diplomatic paper comes in the wake of a political storm over a series of phantom