The EU has developed a policy to support the gradual integration of the Western Balkan countries with the Union. The EU aims to promote peace, stability and economic development in the region&nbsp;and open up the prospect of EU integration.

In order to apply for EU membership a country has to be European and respect the EU’s democratic values. It also needs stable institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law; a functioning market economy; and the ability to take on and carry out the obligations of EU membership.

Parliament is fully involved in the Stabilisation and Association Process &nbsp;and must also consent to any new accession to the EU. In addition, through its budgetary powers, it has direct influence over the amounts allocated to the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance. Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs appoints standing rapporteurs for all candidate and potential candidate countries. Parliament expresses its positions on enlargement in the form of annual resolutions responding to the Commission’s latest annual country reports.

On 1&nbsp;July&nbsp;2013, Croatia became the first of the seven countries to join, and Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of North Macedonia and Albania are official candidates. Accession negotiations and chapters have been opened with Montenegro and Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries.

EU Enlargement - Western Balkans

EP Plenary session - Instrument for pre-accession assistance

EP Plenary session - Joint debate - 2019-2020 Progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Talat XHAFERI, President of the Assembly of North Macedonia

Plenary session - Opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania

MEPs welcome accession negotiations with Albania. In the 2022 draft report on Albania, MEPs welcome the country’s commitment to EU integration, and describe it as a reliable foreign policy partner and an important geopolitical ally. The accession negotiations with Albania were formally opened in July 2022. Closing by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Rapporteur

2022 Report on Albania: Closing by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Rapporteur

MEPs welcome accession negotiations with Albania. In the 2022 draft report on Albania, MEPs welcome the country’s commitment to EU integration, and describe it as a reliable foreign policy partner and an important geopolitical ally. The accession negotiations with Albania were formally opened in July 2022. MEPs debate

2022 Report on Albania: MEPs debate

MEPs welcome accession negotiations with Albania. In the 2022 draft report on Albania, MEPs welcome the country’s commitment to EU integration, and describe it as a reliable foreign policy partner and an important geopolitical ally. The accession negotiations with Albania were formally opened in July 2022. Opening statement by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Rapporteur, and by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement. The transcript is the result of an automated process. Please check against delivery

2022 Report on Albania: Opening statement by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Rapporteur, and by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

On the 14th September 2022, Ursula von der LEYEN, EC President, delivers her State of the European Union (SOTEU) speech in the European Parliament. This infoclip illustrates one of the main stake of the coming year: the future of the Europea Union. Following the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoe) which took place from May 2021 to May 2022, EU citizens have asked for a revision of the treaties and a reconstruction of the EU. Furthermore, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia have been granted the candidate status to join the EU, while discussions to enlarge the European Union to Western Balkans countries are ongoing.

Infoclip: Future of the European Union

David SASSOLI, EP President, invites speakers from the parliaments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to meet for the Summit of EP - Western Balkans’ Speakers of Parliament. They debate the role that parliaments should play in EU post-COVID-19 enlargement.

2nd EP - Western Balkans Speakers' summit chaired by David SASSOLI, EP President; arrivals, roundtable, signing of joint declaration of Western Balkans Speakers Summit 2021 and family photo

Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) hold an exchange of views with the Speakers of the Parliaments from the Western Balkans on the key role of Parliaments in the EU enlargement proces, in Brussels. Extracts from the meeting with the EP delegations for the Western Balkan and with the Speakers of the Western Balkans’ parliaments.

2nd European Parliament - Western Balkans Speakers Summit: extracts from the meeting with the EP delegations for the Western Balkan and with the Speakers of the Western Balkans’ parliaments

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Opening statements by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Albania rapporteur; Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Kosovo rapporteur; Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew, BG), North Macedonia rapporteur and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK), Serbia rapporteur. After that, statements also by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs. (This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery).

Joint debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: opening statements by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), Viola VON CRAMON-TAUBADEL (Greens/EFA, DE), Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew, BG) and Vladimír BILČÍK (EPP, SK)

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Joint debate - 2019-2020 Progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: MEPs debate

During the plenary session (24-25 March 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on 2019-2020 progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. Closing statements by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs.

Joint debate - 2019-2020 Progress reports on Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia: closing statements by Olivér VÁRHELYI, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement and by Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State

Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), EP Standing Rapporteur for Albania, and Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew Europe, BG), EP Standing Rapporteur for North Macedonia, give a press conference after they presented their reports in a debate during the plenary session. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Press conference by Isabel SANTOS (S&D, PT), EP Standing Rapporteur for Albania, and Ilhan KYUCHYUK (Renew Europe, BG), EP Standing Rapporteur for North Macedonia

During the plenary session (21-24/10/2019) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate with Council and Commission on whether to open accession talks with the two Western Balkan countries. Parliament has, in previous resolutions, expressed its strong support to start negotiations with both countries. Statements by Tytti TUPPURAINEN, Finnish Minister for European Affairs, Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Andrey KOVATCHEV (EPP, BG) and Kati PIRI (S&D, NL).

Opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania: extracts from the debate

During the plenary session (21-24/10/2019) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate take stock of the outcome of the 17-18 October meeting of EU heads of state or government in a debate with Donald TUSK, President of the Council, and Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC. The summit focussed on Brexit, negotiations for a long-term EU budget, strategic priorities for the next five years, climate change, enlargement and foreign affairs. Statements by Donald TUSK, President of the European Council, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES) and Dacian CIOLOŞ (RE, RO) on Turkey’s unilateral military action in North East Syria, on enlargement negociations with North Macedonia and Albania, on multiannual financial framework and on UE being climate neutral by 2050.

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 17 and 18 October 2019: extracts from the debate on other topics

Final statement by David SASSOLI, EP President, following his participation to the European Council meeting on MFF, on Nothern Macedonia and Albania, on the Turk's intervention in Syria and on Brexit deal.

European Council: final statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

David SASSOLI, EP President welcome Gramoz Ruçi, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Gramoz RUCI, Speaker of the Albanian Parliament: arrival and roundtable

The Audiovisual Service of the European Commission has produced a series of new video stockshots with illustrative images of the capitals and countryside of the Western Balkans: This infoclip illustrates Albania

Infoclip: Albania

Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, presents the 2018 Enlargement Package during the meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the EP in Brussels.

Presentation of the 2018 Enlargement Package by Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations: extracts EP Committee on Foreign Affairs

During the EP plenary session (5-8 February 2018) in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the decision adopted on the EU Enlargement Strategy - Western Balkans. Statements by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Victor BOŞTINARU (S&D, RO) and Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK).

Decision adopted on the EU Enlargement Strategy - Western Balkans: extracts from the debate

Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC, and Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, speak to the press after the College meeting, during the EP plenary session (5-8 February 2018) in Strasbourg.

Read-out of the College meeting of 06/02/2018 by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Johannes HAHN, on Western Balkans Strategy

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