On 18 November, a major annual EU Enlargement Forum took place in Brussels, attended by the highest European officials and regional leaders, followed by EUpravo Zato correspondents.
At the very beginning of the gathering, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos addressed the participants.
“Enlargement is essential for the EU’s ability to project stability, prosperity and democratic values beyond its borders and within them. It strengthens the Union’s strategic interests, supports economic growth and competitiveness, enhances energy security and reinforces reforms in governance and the rule of law,” the European Commission stated.
Brnabić as a panellist – how to obtain membership?
The final part of the Forum featured the panel “Getting to YES!”, moderated by Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations.
The panel included Ana Brnabić, Speaker of the National Assembly of Serbia; David McAllister, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET); Neva Grašič, State Secretary for European Affairs, International Law, Protection of Interests and Economic Diplomacy of Slovenia; and Seda Gurkan, Associate Professor of International Relations and EU Studies at Leiden University, Visiting Professor at the College of Europe and Professor of EU Studies at the University of Brussels.
The panel focused on finding ways to achieve political consensus in the process of European integration, with an exchange of expert and political perspectives from participants representing EU institutions, member states and candidate countries.
The Speaker of the National Assembly stated that Serbia should make use of the favourable momentum in the European Union’s enlargement agenda, that she would push for the opening of Cluster 3 in the accession negotiations with the EU by the end of the year, and emphasised that only through the efforts of society as a whole can Serbia advance towards EU membership.
Rama: Enlargement is a historical necessity
The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, said that “EU enlargement is a historical necessity and a simple truth” while speaking in Brussels. He recalled that he had spoken about enlargement so many times that, on his way to Brussels, he wondered what more he could still say on the topic.
“I have spoken about it so many times that sometimes I fear I could publish a book showing the evolution of my hair over the years, titled ‘The complete anatomy of an enlargement that has not yet happened’. And again, guess what? I will not give up on enlargement, nor will I run out of words when it comes to enlargement, because enlargement is simply another word for the very future of Europe. It is precisely that unbreakable link between enlargement and the future that compels me to speak of it not as the Prime Minister of Albania, not as the representative of a negotiating country, but as a European citizen of a continent whose story is a tapestry woven from war and peace, destruction and renewal, rivalry and reconciliation,” he told the audience, adding that this is “the only path for a continent that must rediscover its self-confidence, defend peace, protect prosperity and preserve relevance in a world that moves quickly, harshly and without mercy”.
Kallas: The doors open, then close
The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, said that if one looks at the history of negotiations between candidate states and the EU, “the doors open, then they close”.
“For the citizens of member states, it is important to explain why enlargement matters, but now we come to the question. We find ourselves in a world where the geopolitical situation changes rapidly, and we are already struggling with some member states that do not see the situation the same way we do, which is why we ask the candidate countries – are you with us?” Kallas asked.
Marta Kos: An urgent debate on admitting new members is needed
The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, in her speech at the Enlargement Forum in the European Commission, called for an open and urgent debate on the future of the Union and the admission of new members.
She stressed that enlargement has once again become a key issue for peace, democracy and security on the continent.
“At this critical moment in our history, the questions about Europe’s future are as significant as those faced by the Union’s founders in the 1950s,” Kos said at the opening of her address, recalling the crises and challenges confronting the EU.
Kos said that the EU today faces the urgent task of protecting European democracies from autocratic influences and preserving the space of freedom on the continent.
“We must reject the forces that aim to destabilise our continent. We must defend our space of freedom and democracy,” she said.
According to her, enlargement policy has historically been a driving force for positive change, both within the EU and in candidate countries. But Kos warned that such challenges should not be accompanied by illusions or shortcuts.
She announced that the Commission is carrying out a comprehensive analysis of the EU’s preparedness to admit new states, including the impact on the budget, key policies and decision-making structures.
“We must provide strong answers to the concerns of our citizens: What will enlargement mean for our social model? How will we ensure the efficient functioning of the Union? How do we guarantee that the rules will continue to be respected after membership?” Kos said, calling for more intensive communication with the European public.
Address by Ursula von der Leyen
In a video message, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, addressed the audience, repeating what she has been emphasising in recent months – that EU enlargement is a necessity, reports the EUpravo Zato correspondent from the scene.
“Since its very foundation, the European Union has been a peace project. This has been the thread connecting our member states and guiding every step of our integration. But in times of geopolitical uncertainty, enlargement is more than a choice for peace. It is an investment in our shared security and freedom. Because history has taught us that when Europe stands united, we stand stronger,” said the Commission President.
She recalled the journeys she made this year, from Ukraine to Moldova and to the Western Balkan countries, stressing that each visit ended with great optimism after meeting citizens, civil society representatives, the business community and leaders.
“I saw their hope for a European future. Of course, the path to EU membership is challenging. It requires extensive reforms and alignment with our acquis. But the benefits are numerous. The countries that joined the European Union in the last wave experienced remarkable economic growth. Living standards doubled, unemployment was almost halved. Life expectancy increased on average by four years, and six million new jobs were created,” she added.
Forum details
The Forum in Brussels, conceived as interactive, inclusive and future-oriented, is part of broader efforts to bring the enlargement process closer to citizens and encourage a genuine European dialogue on the future of the Union.
The event brought together a wide and diverse range of participants – from high-ranking national and regional political leaders to representatives of civil society, entrepreneurs, artists, young people and public policy experts from EU member states and candidate countries, under the slogan “Completing the Union, Securing our Future”.
Given the timing of the forum, held at a moment when Europe is facing the most complex security challenges in decades, the event is rightly considered one of the most significant, shaping the political vision of the future “enlarged EU”.
(EUpravo zato)
