Annual report on EU enlargement: two candidate countries “in name only” and two close to accession

Ukraine must speed up reforms if it wants to achieve the objective it set itself to complete the process of joining the European Union by the end of 2028, indicates the European Commission's annual report on the stage of the enlargement process with the ten candidate states, presented on Tuesday, reports DPA, taken over by Agerpres. The report also mentions the candidates who have the best chance of joining in the near future.

The report notes that, despite the “very difficult circumstances” it finds itself in due to the war with Russia, Ukraine has shown “remarkable commitment to the EU accession process over the past year”.

However, the report states, “recent negative trends, including pressure on specialized anti-corruption agencies and civil society, must be decisively reversed.”

The document also calls on Kyiv to accelerate “alignment with EU standards regarding the protection of fundamental rights, along with continuing reforms in the field of public administration and decentralization.”

“Continuing progress is also necessary in terms of strengthening independence, integrity, professionalism and efficiency in the justice, prosecution and law enforcement sectors, as well as in the fight against organized crime,” the Commission's report also says.

According to the document, the European Commission supports Ukraine's ambitious timetable, but warns that meeting it will require accelerating reforms, especially in key areas such as the rule of law.

“Winners” and “Repeaters”

The report also assessed other candidates for accession – the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Kosovo, but also Turkey and Georgia, even if in these two cases the accession process is blocked due to deficiencies in democracy and the rule of law.

Montenegro, which began accession negotiations in 2012, is considered the most advanced candidate among the six in the Western Balkans. Accession negotiations with Montenegro could end by the end of 2026 if reforms continue, and those with Albania by the end of 2027.

“They have advanced the most on the path of reforms in the last year. At the current pace and quality of the reforms, we could conclude the accession negotiations in the coming years,” said the European Commissioner for Enlargement, the Slovenian Marta Kos.

“The commission will insist on the highest quality of reforms, especially regarding the rule of law, democratic institutions and fundamental freedoms. There will be no shortcuts”, she emphasized.

Accession to the EU, however, requires approval and ratification by all member states, DPA notes.

The Commission's report again criticized Georgia and Turkey. Georgia is described as a candidate “in name only”, with repressive laws, political interference in justice and arbitrary arrests being invoked. As far as Turkey is concerned, the continuation of the regression in terms of human rights and standards of the rule of law is highlighted.