EU chief Charles Michel has urged Brussels to be ready to admit new members by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The European Council President spoke yesterday at the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia, where Western Balkan leaders gathered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Michel stated that “enlargement is no longer a pipe dream” and that “the time has come to move forward.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“As we prepare the EU’s next strategic agenda, we must set a clear goal,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I believe we must be prepared to expand – on both sides – by 2030.” This is a bold yet essential step. It demonstrates our seriousness.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Michel admitted that bringing in new members to the bloc “won’t be easy”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said: “It will affect our policies, our programmes, and their budgets. It will require political reforms and political courage. The EU\u2019s territory and demography will get bigger.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Michel said the biggest challenge could be convincing Europeans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said: “The heart of enlargement is in my opinion not about processes, screenings, assessments, negotiations, treaties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The heart of enlargement is about the people, about the future of our children, about the fate of Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“So we need to make sure we have the hearts of the people with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This may be our biggest challenge. This involves explaining the EU, this involves highlighting the benefits, and it’s a choice of society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It also means moving beyond the language of the past to focus on the future.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr Michel said enlargement “is and will remain a merit-based process” as he pointed to the need to respect the EU’s values and the rule of law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He ended his speech: “With real political will we can make both the EU and the future member states ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Now is the time to be bold, now is the time to build our larger European future all together.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eight countries – Turkey, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Moldova,\u00a0Ukraine, and Bosnia and Herzegovina – currently hold candidate status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for many in the Western Balkans the process has stalled, while it has been put on hold for Turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ukraine, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina have been granted candidate status since\u00a0Vladimir Putin\u00a0launched his brutal invasion of Kyiv.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
EU chief Charles Michel has urged Brussels to be ready to admit new members by 2030. The European Council President spoke yesterday at the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia, where … <\/p>\n