The European Commission denied on Tuesday that a deadline has been set for the enlargement of the European Union (EU), after the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that the EU must prepare to integrate new members “until 2030”.
“We are not focused on a date,” said the spokesperson for the community executive Dana Spinant, at a press conference on Tuesday.
Spinant denied any coordination between the Commission and Michel on the matter and recalled that the enlargement of the EU is decided and must continue to be decided based on the merits of the candidate countries, which join when they are ready.
Michel announced on Monday that the EU must be ready to integrate new members “by 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,” said Michel, during a speech at the Strategic Forum from Bled. , Slovenia, which ends today, under the theme “Solidarity for global security”.
The expansion of the community bloc, currently with 27 members, will be at the center of the discussions of the EU leaders, specifically at the informal summit on October 6 in Toledo, organized by the Spanish biannual presidency of the EU.
The European Commission will present its recommendations on the start of negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova 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 already granted candidate country status to seven countries: Albania, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.
According to Brussels, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia and Kosovo are potential candidates.
Source: TSF
