Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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357. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the situation in the western Balkans continues to be monitored by the EU with a view to ensuring that progress towards eventual EU membership continues for the countries in the region in return for a commitment to the acquis communautaire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32097/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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There are currently five countries which have Candidate Status, including four in the Western Balkans – Montenegro, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, and Albania. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries.

Ireland has long been a supporter of Enlargement. The European Commission continues to work actively to support prospective member states in implementing reforms in order to make progress on their respective EU paths. Every year, the Commission publishes progress reports on each of the candidate and potential candidate countries. This year's “Enlargement Package”, which is expected on 9 November, will provide an opportunity to assess the state of play in each of the candidate countries. The reports are then debated intensively at working group level, before being discussed by Ministers at the General Affairs Council, and agreed by the European Council in December.