EU prepares roadmaps for Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova; North Macedonia excluded for now

The European Union is preparing concrete roadmaps for the four most advanced candidate countries — Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova — while countries at an earlier stage of the accession process, including North Macedonia, will not receive similar timetables for now.

The plans are intended to spell out precise reforms each candidate must complete, the responsibilities of current EU members, and indicative dates for closing negotiating chapters grouped into clusters. Brussels aims to give the leading candidates clearer assurance that sustained progress on key reforms could lead to eventual membership.

What the roadmaps would do

According to officials involved in the process, the roadmaps will list the steps required from each country and identify obligations for member states to approve the next accession moves. They will also include approximate deadlines for formally closing negotiation chapters within specific clusters.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged targeted support earlier this month for candidate countries "who have made the most progress," and the Commission’s enlargement commissioner Marta Kos said she hopes that, after talks with European leaders, an "autumn of enlargement" will follow years of slow advancement.

Other candidates that remain at an earlier stage — North Macedonia, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina — will not receive roadmaps at this time, EU officials say. The same applies to Serbia, Georgia and Turkey, where accession processes are stalled amid concerns about democratic backsliding and judicial standards.

This shift comes as the EU debates more flexible approaches to early accession, offering progressive economic benefits and access to joint projects for countries that advance reforms. The Commission may also propose internal rule changes that would introduce safeguard mechanisms — such as emergency clauses and transitional periods — designed to prevent new members from blocking key EU policies or rolling back commitments. This week von der Leyen will visit Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo; she does not plan visits to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina because both countries are due to hold elections soon.

Photo: press material from the event