The European Union’s enlargement process is gaining momentum, but the path to a larger bloc remains uneven. Montenegro and Albania are advancing their accession bids, Moldova is emerging as a fast-moving candidate, while Georgia remains locked in a political deadlock and Ukraine is challenging proposed restrictions on agricultural trade.
Those competing developments were highlighted at the Euronews Enlargement Summit in Brussels on 3 November 2026. The discussions showed that EU enlargement is a realistic long-term prospect for several countries, but also that reforms, bilateral disputes and changing politics in existing member states could still slow the process.
EU enlargement advances at different speeds
Candidate countries do not move through accession at the same pace. Each must meet political, legal and economic requirements before membership can be completed, and disputes between candidates and existing member states can affect the timetable.
European Council President António Costa said the ambition to join the EU should help countries overcome historical grievances, reject nationalism and strengthen cooperation. His comments reflected the broader political argument that enlargement can support stability, democratic reform and closer economic ties.
However, the summit also demonstrated that progress depends on more than technical reforms. Domestic politics, bilateral disputes and concerns about the impact of future members on the single market are all shaping the debate.
Montenegro and Albania remain among the leading candidates
Montenegro targets membership by 2028
Montenegro is currently presented as the frontrunner among the countries seeking EU membership. Its government aims to become the bloc’s 28th member by 2028, although that target depends on completing negotiations and securing approval from all member states.
European Affairs Minister Maida Gorčević said Podgorica would not accept a form of membership that placed new members in a permanently weaker position. Her comments followed a European Commission proposal for a possible 15-year institutional safeguard period for newcomers. In the most serious circumstances, the mechanism could allow voting rights to be suspended.
Montenegro is also working to resolve outstanding issues with Croatia, including a maritime border dispute. Gorčević indicated that some bilateral matters could potentially be settled after accession, but unresolved disputes remain a sensitive part of the enlargement process.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković warned that political developments in France could influence support for further enlargement. He also questioned the wisdom of setting rigid deadlines, arguing that unexpected events can delay accession plans.
Albania seeks to finish negotiations by 2027
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama reaffirmed his aim of concluding accession negotiations by the end of 2027. He described enlargement as a merit-based process, while acknowledging that Albania still has work to do.
Rama also raised concerns about Serbia’s direction, saying its new leadership was unlikely to change Belgrade’s position on recognising Kosovo. The relationship between Serbia and Kosovo remains one of the major political issues affecting Serbia’s own European path.
He further said Albania’s agreement with Italy concerning the transfer of irregular migrants to processing facilities would remain in place for as long as necessary. The issue adds a migration-policy dimension to Albania’s wider relationship with EU member states.
Georgia and Armenia show contrasting directions
Developments in the South Caucasus offered one of the clearest contrasts at the summit. Armenia is considering a formal application for EU membership, while Georgia’s accession process remains frozen.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said an application in 2027 or 2028 was realistic. He described closer relations with the EU as a potential route for strengthening democracy and giving Armenian society a strategic alternative.
Any future application would involve difficult political and economic choices, including Armenia’s existing relationship with Russia’s Eurasian Economic Union. Pashinyan said the decision would ultimately belong to the Armenian people.
Georgia’s candidate status has been stalled since 2024 amid disputes over laws concerning foreign influence and family values. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said his government remained committed to EU membership, but he did not outline a clear route for restarting negotiations. He defended the contested laws and criticised what he called pressure from the European Commission.
The contrast illustrates how domestic legislation and political standards can directly affect accession progress. Candidate countries must align with EU principles, but the process also depends on sustained engagement between national governments and EU institutions.
Ukraine rejects permanent limits on agricultural trade
Ukraine’s accession negotiations are closely linked to questions about agriculture and the future of the EU single market. Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi rejected proposals to exclude certain agricultural products, including wheat and grain, from the EU market after Ukraine becomes a full member.
The European Commission proposed the restrictions after concerns from several member states that Ukraine’s large agricultural output could put pressure on farmers. Kyiv accepts that temporary safeguards may be possible where specific risks are demonstrated, but argues that such measures should have clear review and expiry conditions.
Koretskyi said Ukraine wants to begin closing negotiation chapters during the first half of 2027. He stressed that Kyiv was not asking for shortcuts, but for a credible process based on measurable milestones and decisions when those milestones are met.
The disagreement points to a central enlargement challenge: how to combine equal access to the single market with transitional arrangements that protect sensitive sectors in existing member states.
Moldova becomes a leading accession candidate
Moldova has moved rapidly through the accession process and is now viewed as one of the strongest candidates in the group. Its reform programme has advanced quickly, raising the possibility that it could close negotiating chapters before every negotiating cluster has formally opened.
Prime Minister Vasile Tofan rejected the idea that Moldova and Ukraine should be treated as competitors. He argued that progress by one country could reinforce the other’s European integration efforts.
Tofan was unable to attend the summit in person because he was overseeing the government response to a major cyberattack that compromised data relating to about 750,000 people. He said Moldova suspected a state actor was responsible, although the source content did not identify the alleged actor.
On NATO membership, Tofan said the government would support joining, but Moldova’s constitution establishes neutrality and there is currently no parliamentary majority to amend it.
What happens next for EU enlargement?
The summit did not create a new accession treaty or formally admit any country. Instead, it highlighted the different stages and obstacles facing prospective members.
- Montenegro and Albania must continue reforms and negotiations while managing bilateral and domestic political risks.
- Moldova will seek to maintain its rapid progress without turning accession into a competition with Ukraine.
- Ukraine will continue negotiating the balance between agricultural safeguards and equal participation in the single market.
- Armenia may move towards a formal application in 2027 or 2028.
- Georgia must address the political issues that have frozen its accession process.
- North Macedonia remains affected by its dispute with Bulgaria over constitutional recognition of the Bulgarian minority.
For Ireland and other EU member states, future enlargement could influence the Union’s budget, voting arrangements, agricultural policy, institutional safeguards and foreign-policy priorities. Any accession would require the necessary legal steps and approval by the member states.
Conclusion
The latest EU enlargement debate shows a bloc that is more open to expansion than in recent years, but not yet ready to remove the political and legal conditions for membership. Montenegro, Albania, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia and North Macedonia are each following different paths. Their progress will depend on reforms, bilateral diplomacy and whether existing member states can agree on how a larger Union should operate.