Valdis Dombrovskis suggests EU enlargement by 2030

European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis stated at a conference in Riga that the European Union could welcome new member states by 2030. He noted that the enlargement process has gained new momentum due to geopolitical shifts, specifically citing Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a catalyst for reconsidering candidate status for nations like Ukraine.

Dombrovskis described enlargement as a geopolitical tool to prevent neighboring countries from remaining in 'grey zones.' While he did not name specific candidate countries or exact timelines, he emphasized that a larger EU would be geopolitically stronger and provide new markets for existing members. He acknowledged that expanding to over 30 members will require addressing decision-making and governance challenges to prevent single-country blocking.

Separately, data from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) shows that asylum applications in the EU, Switzerland, and Norway fell by 17% in the first half of the year compared to the previous year. This represents the lowest figure for the first half of a year since 2021. The decline is attributed to political changes in Syria and increased cooperation with transit and origin countries, such as recent agreements with Tunisia and Mauritania.