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EU Enlargement – State of play
Enlargement is the process whereby countries join the EU. Since it was founded in 1957, the EU has grown from 6 member countries to 27.
Any European country that respects the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law may apply to become a member of the EU. A valid application triggers a series of evaluations in the light of the so-called Copenhagen criteria. These may result in a country being given the status of a 'candidate country'. If the country is sufficiently advanced in fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria, accession negotiations start: the applicants have to implement the body of EU law before they may become a member state.
When this process is completed, an 'accession treaty' is drawn up and signed by the candidate country and the EU Member States. The country can join the EU only once this treaty has been formally approved by the European Parliament and ratified by the candidate country and all the existing Member States.
Besides Croatia, with which an accession treaty was signed and is under ratification, there are currently eight candidate countries and potential candidates to which the EU has offered the prospect of membership.
- Enlargement of the EU – An expanding bloc
- Enlargement: conditions and process
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Understanding enlargement
2012 Strategy and Progress report - 10 October 2012
The European Commission recommends for a fourth time to open accession negotiations with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It recommends granting EU candidate status to Albania subject to completion of key reform steps, and proposes negotiating a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Kosovo* once it has made progress in fulfilling a number of short term priorities. The Commission also confirmed that Croatia is on track in its membership preparations. In a set of annual reports, the Commission also assesses the progress towards EU accession made elsewhere in the Western Balkans, Turkey, and Iceland over the past year.
Commission outlines next steps for EU enlargement
2012 Strategy and Progress reports
On the path towards EU integration
Acceding countries
Croatia has been a candidate country since 2004 and is expected to become the EU's 28th member on 1 July 2013.
EU candidate countries
Iceland has been a candidate country since 2010.
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia became a candidate country in 2005.
Montenegro has been a candidate country since 2010.
Serbia has been a candidate country since 2012. It submitted its application for membership in 2009.
Turkey has been a candidate country since 1999.
Potential candidates
Albania has been a potential candidate country since 2003 and submitted its application for membership in 2009.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has been a potential candidate country since 2003.
Kosovo has been a potential candidate since 2008.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
Fast facts
- One acceding country: Croatia should become the EU's 28th member on 1 July 2013.
- Five candidate countries: Iceland, Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. Negotiations have already begun with Iceland and Turkey.
- Three potential candidates: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
- Three sets of conditions for EU membership: they are called the Copenhagen criteria as they were agreed by EU leaders at their summit in Copenhagen in 1993.
- most recent and fifth EU enlargement took place between 2004-2007, when twelve countries, mostly from central and eastern Europe, joined
- Every step towards membership requires the unanimous approval of the Member States.
- The Commission issues annual progress reportson the countries working towards EU membership.
Progress report
Each year in the autumn, the European Commission adopts its 'Enlargement package': an overview of enlargement strategy and progress achieved towards EU accession in the Western Balkans (Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia as well as Kosovo), Turkey and Iceland.
Progress report 2012
On 10 October the European Commission published its annual overview of enlargement policy and the progress made towards EU accession in the Western Balkans, Turkey and Iceland.
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Enlargement strategy and main challenges 2012-2013
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Feasibility Study for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and Kosovo
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Comprehensive Monitoring Report on Croatia’s state of preparedness for EU membership
- Progress reports for each of the (potential) candidates
- Commission outlines next steps for EU enlargement
- Key findings of the 2012 Progress Report on Albania
- Key findings of the 2012 Progress Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Croatia
- Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Iceland
- Key findings of the 2012 progress report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- Key findings of the 2012 Progress Report on Kosovo
- Key findings of the 2012 Progress Report on Montenegro
- Key findings of the 2012 Progress Report on Serbia
- Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Turkey
Latest press releases
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22/04/2013 - Council conclusions on Croatia
- 22/04/2013 - Serbia and Kosovo*: historic agreement paves the way for decisive progress in their EU perspectives
- 22/04/2013 - Commission proposes an agreement to allow Kosovo* to participate in EU programmes
- 18/04/2013 - MEPs say Croatia is ready to join the EU in July
- 18/04/2013 - Press points by Commissioner Štefan Füle on the Spring Reports on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and Kosovo
- 18/04/2013 - Address on the 2012 comprehensive monitoring report on Croatia
- 18/04/2013 - Remarks on the European integration process of Kosovo
- 18/04/2013 - Speech: 2012 Progress report on Montenegro
- 18/04/2013 - Speech: Remarks on the 2012 Progress report on Serbia
- 18/04/2013 - Speech: Remarks on the Progress report on Turkey
- 16/04/2013 - The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Reforms continue despite political tensions
- 09/04/2013 - FYROM: EU accession talks should start before the end of June, MEPs insist
- 26/03/2013 - Remarks by Štefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy to the press after the meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanović
- 26/03/2013 - Croatia: Last Monitoring Report concludes country ready to join the EU
- 21/03/2013 - EU-Turkey relations: MEPs call for renewed engagement from both sides
- 21/03/2013 - Bosnia and Herzegovina still falling behind in the region, MEPs warn
- 18/03/2013 - 2013 budget adjusted for Croatia´s entry to the EU
- 01/03/2013 - Montenegro: Need to investigate any allegations about election irregularities
- 19/02/2013 - €50 million of Macro-Financial Assistance for Bosnia and Herzegovina, more concrete reforms expected
- 12/02/2013 - First Commission report on progress by Kosovo towards visa liberalisation
- 07/02/2013 - EU accession talks with Serbia can start before June 2013, MEPs say
- 07/02/2013 - New horizon for Kosovo's EU integration
- 15/01/2013 - Croatia: With V.Pusic about the next Monitoring Report
- 10/01/2013 - €65 million to support reforms in Kosovo
- 18/12/2012 - EU and Iceland: over two thirds of negotiation chapters now open
- 18/12/2012 - EU assistance to boost Montenegro's reforms in accession process
- 14/12/2012 - Final EU pre-accession funding to help Croatia become a successful EU Member State
- 14/12/2012 - Renewed EU financial support to reforms in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- 12/11/2012 - EU to invest €81 million to support key reforms in Albania
- 30/10/2012 - Rule of law assistance to Kosovo not sufficiently effective
- 10/10/2012 - Commission outlines next steps for EU enlargement
- 10/10/2012 - Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Albania
- 10/10/2012 - Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Bosnia and Herzegovina
- 10/10/2012 - Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Croatia
- 10/10/2012 - Key findings of the 2012 progress report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- 10/10/2012 - Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Iceland
- 10/10/2012 - Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Kosovo
- 10/10/2012 - Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Montenegro
- 10/10/2012 - Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Serbia
- 10/10/2012 - Key findings of the 2012 progress report on Turkey
- 22/06/2012 - Iceland: keeping the fast pace in negotiations
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22/06/2012 - Accession Conference with Iceland: three new chapters opened, progress confirmed
- 14/06/2012 - Commission delivers visa roadmap to Kosovo government
- 30/05/2012 - EU-Kosovo: Further step to consolidate rule of law
- 24/04/2012 - Croatia: Commission has adopted the Monitoring Report on accession preparations
- 22/03/2012 - Montenegro: Keeping up the speed of accession process
- 21/03/2012 - Bosnia and Herzegovina: Moving in right direction but further efforts needed
- 14/03/2012 - Resolutions on Iceland, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
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02/03/2012 - Serbia is granted EU candidate status
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28/02/2012 - Council conclusions on Enlargement and the Stabilisation and Association Process
- 22/01/2012 - Joint statement of European Commission President Barroso and European Council President Van Rompuy on the outcome of the EU accession referendum in Croatia
- 20/12/2011 - EU to invest almost EUR 1 billion to foster reforms in the Western Balkans, Turkey and Iceland
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09/12/2011 - Accession treaty with Croatia signed today
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05/12/2011 - Council conclusions on enlargement and stabilisation and association process
- 01/12/2011 - Croatia’s EU accession: green light from Parliament
- 17/11/2011 - Croatia’s EU accession: Foreign Affairs Committee green light
- 14/10/2011 - MEPs favour recommendation to give Serbia official EU candidate status and back new enlargement strategy
- 12/10/2011 - Key findings of the Opinion on Serbia
- 12/10/2011 - Key findings of the 2011 progress report on Turkey
- 12/10/2011 - Key findings of the 2011 Progress Report on Montenegro
- 12/10/2011 - Key findings of the 2011 progress report on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- 12/10/2011 - Key findings of the 2011 Progress Report on Kosovo
- 12/10/2011 - Key findings of the 2011 Progress Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina
- 12/10/2011 - Key findings of the 2011 progress report on Croatia
- 12/10/2011 - Key findings of the 2011 progress report on Iceland
- 12/10/2011 - Key findings of the 2011 Progress Report on Albania
- 04/10/2011 - European Commission recommends moving onto next stages towards EU entry
