The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, affirmed this Monday in Bled, Slovenia, that the European Union (EU) must be prepared to integrate new members “until 2030”.
“Now that we are preparing the next EU strategic agenda, we have to set a clear objective. I think we have to be ready – on both sides – for enlargement by 2030,” Michel said, during a speech at the Strategic Forum from Bled. an event that will take place between today and Tuesday under the theme “Solidarity for global security”.
The leader of the European Council also stressed that if the EU wants to be credible, it has to “talk about a timetable.”
“It is ambitious, but necessary, it shows that we are serious,” added the community leader, at the meeting attended by leaders of countries from Central Europe and the Western Balkans.
The expansion of the community block -currently with 27 members- will be at the center of the debates of the EU leaders in their next summits.
In particular, European leaders will have to decide whether or not to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.
The European Commission is expected to present its recommendations on this issue in the autumn.
Candidate status was granted to both countries in June 2022, a few months after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The EU has granted candidate country status to seven countries: Albania, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.
According to the European Commission, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia and Kosovo are potential candidates.
Source: TSF
