Work visit in Montenegro: Meinl-Reisinger promotes EU expansion!

Work visit in Montenegro: Meinl-Reisinger promotes EU expansion!

Vienna, Österreich - The Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) will travel to Podgorica, Montenegro, on Thursday. This meeting is part of the efforts to promote the EU expansion, in particular the integration of Montenegros and Albania into the European Union. Montenegro is considered the most advanced country in the EU expansion process.

Austrian EU MPs have put the possibility of an expansion round around the accession candidates Montenegro and Albania in the room by 2029. This is underpinned by the statements of the EU expansion commissioner Marta Kos, the explained that Montenegro and Albania could become EU members in front of 2030. Montenegro plans to complete his technical negotiations until 2026, while Albania are striving for by 2027.

progress in the accession negotiations

Montenegro has already opened all the “cluster” of the negotiation chapter that are necessary for access to the EU. Albania, on the other hand, plans to open all clusters by September 2025. In both countries there is a great support from the population for EU membership, which also inspires political efforts.

In the overall context of the EU accession candidates, there are several countries that strive for membership. Montenegro received the official candidate status on December 17, 2010, followed by the admission of the accession negotiations on July 26, 2012. Serbia has been recognized as an accession candidate since March 1, 2012, while Northern Macedonia had a political agreement on the inclusion of accession negotiations, which began on July 19, 2022. Albania, which submitted his application for accession on April 24, 2009, received the official candidate status in 2014, and the corresponding negotiations were also opened on July 19, 2022

extension of the European Union

Currently the European Union has 27 Member States after the United Kingdom leaked in 2020. The basic structure of the Member States has been continuously expanded since the foundation of the EU. Montenegro as well as other western Balkan states such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, which received the candidate status in 2022, are part of this important expansion process.

The EU is dissatisfied with the reforms in other accession candidates like Turkey, which has been in discussions with the Union since 2005. The discussion about improvements in areas such as freedom of expression, judicial reform and fighting corruption is increasing. The path to EU membership remains still challenging for many countries, especially in the region, but also meaningful.

The following links can be visited for further information on the current situation regarding the EU member states and the various accession candidates: vienna.at Europaimächtricht.de-Expansion accession candidates and Europaimüdcht.de-EU member states .