The European Union is set to begin a high-level strategic discussion on enlargement this autumn, signaling renewed momentum for the accession process of the Western Balkans.
According to a letter sent by European Council President António Costa to EU leaders, the European Council will hold a strategic debate on enlargement and institutional reforms during its October 2026 summit.
“In light of the renewed momentum in the enlargement process and recalling the Granada Declaration, the European Council will hold a strategic discussion on enlargement and reforms at its October 2026 meeting,” Costa wrote.
The initiative comes just weeks after the EU–Western Balkans summit in Tivat, which Brussels officials described as helping create fresh momentum for the region’s European future.
The upcoming debate is expected to focus on possible new approaches to enlargement. Several proposals recently advanced by Germany, France, and the Benelux countries suggest a model of gradual integration for Western Balkan states before full membership.
Under these proposals, candidate countries could gain earlier access to key EU benefits, including participation in the Schengen free-movement area and the European single market. However, during a transitional period, they would not have full voting rights or veto powers within EU institutions.
So far, none of these proposals has been formally adopted, and the European Union continues to officially support the existing enlargement framework, which grants full membership rights only after the completion of accession negotiations and reforms.
Current projections within Brussels place Montenegro as the most advanced candidate, with membership discussions pointing toward a possible accession around 2028, followed by Albania later in the decade if reform progress continues.
For countries such as Kosovo, the renewed focus on enlargement is viewed as an important opportunity to accelerate preparations for candidate status and future accession negotiations.
