Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On 08 November 2023, the European Commission published its annual package of enlargement reports, which assess the progress made by candidate countries to date in reaching the required milestones for EU membership. Based on the progress made to date in fulfilling the key recommendations set out by the Commission in the relevant Opinions, the Commission has recommended that the Council: opens accession negotiations with both Ukraine and Moldova; grants Georgia the status of candidate country on the understanding that a number of steps are taken; and opens accession negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved.

The Commission has stated that it stands ready to report to Council by March 2024 on the progress made in relation to these recommendations.

While these recommendations carry significant influence, the decision to open negotiating frameworks with Ukraine, Moldova and Bosnia Herzegovina, and grant candidate status to Georgia, must be taken unanimously by all 27 Member States. It is expected that Council Conclusions on enlargement will be endorsed at the European Council meeting in December.

We recognise that in order to accommodate an enlarged EU, we must consider what institutional and policy changes are likely to prove necessary. Ireland favours those which can be implemented within the existing legal and Treaty framework. The intention of the Commission to undertake a series of pre-enlargement policy reviews is welcome, to see how the EU’s policies, budgets and institutions may need to be adapted to a larger Union. This will be an important exercise to inform this future discussion.