Enlargement Package

The Enlargement Strategy

The Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges (Strategy) is one of the documents of the Enlargement Package. The Strategy provides an overview of the state of play, key challenges for the following year, enlargement policy strategic orientation and a brief overview of the progress made by candidate and potential candidate countries. The Strategy states how the EU will continue to offer its support (technical and financial) and gives general recommendations and conclusions regarding each candidate and potential candidate. The Strategy is usually accompanied by an annex with more detail on the assessments and findings of the European Commission with regard to the progress in the EU accession process.

In 2015, the European Commission, for the first time, defined the European Union Enlargement Strategy as a mid-term document encompassing the current mandate of the European Commission. At the time, the Commission stated that the countries included in the enlargement process had achieved significant progress in many fields, but that the challenges those countries faced were such that none would be ready to join the EU during the mandate of the current Commission (the end of 2019). It was confirmed that each state would be assessed individually, on the basis of the progress made. The European Commission would keep insisting on the implementation of reforms and measures, not only on their adoption. The Strategy confirmed the approach of “solving the fundamental issues in the first place”, primarily the rule of law, fundamental rights, strengthening of democratic institutions, including the public administration reform as well as economic development and competition, which would contribute to creating new jobs and to growth and increase of interest on the part of investors. Adequate solutions to “fundamental issues” represent the key to meeting the Copenhagen and Madrid membership criteria.

On 6 February 2018, the European Commission adopted a strategy for "A credible enlargement perspective for and enhanced EU engagement with the Western Balkans", confirming the European future of the region as geostrategic investment into a stable, strong and united Europe based on shared values.

The Strategy points to the priorities and fields of joint enhanced engagement, dealing with specific challenges the Western Balkans faces, particularly the need for thorough reforms and good relations with neighbours. The Strategy clearly states that the door of the European Union is still open for further accession once individual countries meet the membership criteria. It also states that the European Commission will not change its enlargement policy – the process has been and will remain based on merits. Each country will be assessed in terms of its own achievements. The Strategy confirms the EU access, implying that comprehensive reforms must be undertaken in key areas. The rule of law, fundamental rights and governance must be strengthened, the work of democratic institutions must be seriously improved, while the justice reform, fight against corruption and organised crime as well as public administration reform must yield specific results.

The Strategy states the EU will significantly strengthen its support to the Western Balkan transformation process, as well as that the European Commission had defined an Action Plan including six key initiatives concerning specific areas of interest for both the EU and the Western Balkan countries. These are the following areas: rule of law, security and migration; socioeconomic development; transport and energy connectivity; digital agenda; reconciliation and good neighbourly relations. In order to ensure adequate means to support this Strategy and continuous progress towards membership, the European Commission proposes a gradual increase in funds within the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).

Komunikacija o politici proširenja EU-a za 2020. godinu

Unapređenje pristupnog procesa – Vjerodostojna perspektiva EU-a za Zapadni Balkan (2020)

2019 Communication on EU Enlargement Policy

Vjerodostojna perspektiva proširenja i pojačana suradnja EU-a sa Zapadnim Balkanom (2018)

A credible enlargement perspective for 2017

Enlargement Strategy for 2016

Enlargement Strategy for 2015

Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2014 - 2015

Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2013 - 2014

Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2011 – 2012

Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2010 – 2011

Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2009 – 2010

Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2008 - 2009

Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2007 - 2008