EU Enlargement Faces Capacity Limits Ahead of Montenegro, Albania Accessions

The European Commission’s Directorate‑General for Enlargement and the Western Balkans is under strain as it tries to manage a surge of accession negotiations. Officials say the Commission’s capacity is being stretched, risking the enlargement process becoming a victim of its own success.

In the past six months more accession chapters have been closed than in the entire previous decade. Montenegro is leading the candidacy race, preparing its accession treaty with a target of joining the EU by 2028. Albania aims to begin its treaty work early next year, seeking membership by 2030. The work on Montenegro’s treaty has required a massive allocation of resources, especially for staff operating in the Western Balkans, while progress remains limited.

Sources criticize the Commission for a loss of institutional memory and reliance on temporary contracts and few permanent officials, resulting in higher costs and limited negotiating experience. The last EU enlargement was Croatia’s accession in 2013.