Brussels revises enlargement approach; North Macedonia to pursue reforms through 2028
The EU plans a substantial overhaul of its enlargement policy; North Macedonia says it will pursue reforms through 2028 while Brussels defines new membership criteria.
Brussels has announced a major revision of the European Union's enlargement policy intended to prepare the bloc for admitting new members; under the new approach candidate countries could begin to benefit from certain advantages before they achieve full membership.
The revised approach places particular emphasis on the Western Balkans, signalling a shift in how the EU plans to sequence reforms, incentives and integration steps for countries in the region.
What this means for North Macedonia
North Macedonia is continuing work on a reform agenda running through 2028, but membership criteria have not yet been clearly defined, said Vice Premier for European Affairs Bekim Sali. His office says the country must accelerate reform delivery to align with whatever the new accession framework requires.
Sali warned that, while the EU's change of course could create opportunities to obtain benefits earlier in the accession process, domestic institutions will need to speed up legislative and administrative reforms to be able to claim and sustain those benefits.
For now, Skopje remains focused on meeting European standards on rule of law, public administration and other accession benchmarks, while monitoring how Brussels will turn its announced revision into concrete criteria and a timetable.
Photo: press material from the event
