EU opens talks with Ukraine, Moldova; Montenegro nears halfway point in accession

European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, declared Monday a "big day" for the EU's enlargement process, coinciding with the opening of accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. This significant step follows their candidate status granted in 2023, with Kos noting that both nations have delivered results, enabling the opening of Cluster 1 of accession negotiations. She expressed optimism that the remaining five clusters could be opened in July.

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Today is a big day, a big Monday for the enlargement process.

Kos also highlighted progress with Montenegro, announcing the closure of two additional chapters in its accession negotiations. This brings Montenegro's total to 16 closed chapters, representing roughly half of the work required for full membership. "If we all work together properly – the Commission, the candidate country Montenegro, and the member states – during the Irish presidency or by its end (end of 2026), we could complete the process and bring Montenegro to the finish line," Kos stated, indicating a potential timeline for accession.

She underscored the strategic importance of enlargement, describing it as the EU's most crucial foreign policy initiative over the past 16-17 months, achieving more than in the preceding 15 years. Kos also touched upon the development of a "new generation of accession treaties" for Montenegro, which will include safeguard mechanisms to ensure new members consistently adhere to European rules even years after joining.

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If we all work together properly – the Commission, the candidate country Montenegro, and the member states – during the Irish presidency or by its end (end of 2026), we could complete the process and bring Montenegro to the finish line.

Addressing discussions around alternative membership models, Kos firmly rejected the idea of partial or quarter membership in the EU. "There is only full membership," she asserted, emphasizing that full membership is contingent upon candidate countries meeting all stipulated conditions. The current focus, she added, is on the principle of meritocracy and exploring avenues for gradual integration to further advance the accession process.

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Enlargement today, more than ever before, yields results as the most important EU foreign policy in the last 16 - 17 months, and more has been achieved than during the previous 15 years.

Additionally, the meeting in Brussels was set to discuss Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kos expressed hope for EU unity in nominating a candidate for the High Representative position, who would work in the best interest of BiH and its European path. The goal, she noted, is for the High Representative to make their role quickly redundant, enabling BiH to regain full sovereignty.

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There is only full membership.