European Commission accelerates EU enlargement for four key candidates

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has identified 2026 as a high-momentum year for European Union expansion, noting that more negotiation chapters have been opened and closed in the first nine months of the year than in any other period in the last 25 years.

Kos highlighted four countries currently leading the accession process: Montenegro, Albania, Moldova, and Ukraine. Montenegro is positioned at the forefront, with technical negotiations potentially concluding by the end of the year and membership possible by 2028. Albania is described as being on the right track, while Moldova has been noted as a top performer regarding the pace of its reforms.

The European Commission is also developing specific roadmaps for these four candidates to provide clear milestones, priorities, and indicative dates for closing negotiation clusters. To ensure accountability, the Commission is considering the reallocation of approximately 330 million euros in funds, moving resources from countries with low reform performance toward those that successfully meet their obligations.