The European Union is considering setting target dates for Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova to complete key stages of their accession negotiations, according to POLITICO, in a move that could give the four countries a clearer pathway toward eventual EU membership.
Two senior European Commission officials involved in drafting the proposals told POLITICO that the Commission is preparing targeted “roadmaps” for the four countries, which are considered to have made significant progress on their accession paths. The plans would set out reform priorities, indicative timelines and expected milestones for completing negotiating clusters.
The initiative would mark a shift toward providing more detailed timelines for countries that have advanced furthest in the enlargement process. However, any accession timetable would remain dependent on reforms and the approval of EU member states.
The European Commission has repeatedly stressed that enlargement remains a merit-based process. Its 2025 Enlargement Package said Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova had made notable progress, while emphasizing that the pace of accession depends on the implementation of reforms, particularly in democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
Four Countries at the Centre of the Proposed Roadmaps
Montenegro is currently the most advanced of the four. The European Commission said in June that all 33 negotiating chapters had been opened, with 16 provisionally closed, while the EU has begun preparing elements related to a future accession treaty.
Albania has also made substantial progress, with the Commission saying in 2025 that it was on track to conclude accession negotiations by 2027 if it maintains its reform momentum.
Ukraine and Moldova formally opened accession negotiations in 2024 and completed their screening processes in 2025. Ukraine opened its first negotiating cluster in June 2026, while Moldova opened its first cluster the same month.
The Commission has previously identified ambitious target dates for the four countries. In its 2025 enlargement assessment, it noted ambitions to conclude negotiations by the end of 2026 for Montenegro, 2027 for Albania, and 2028 for Moldova and Ukraine.
Other Candidates Would Not Receive Roadmaps for Now
According to POLITICO, the proposed roadmaps would not initially be extended to Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina or North Macedonia. Serbia, Georgia and Türkiye would also remain outside the initiative at this stage.
The European Commission’s current accession overview shows that negotiations have been opened with Albania, Serbia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Türkiye and Ukraine, while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo have not yet opened accession negotiations.
For Kosovo, the Commission continues to describe the country’s EU perspective within the enlargement framework, but accession negotiations have not yet been formally opened. Bosnia and Herzegovina likewise remains at an earlier stage despite the European Council’s decision in 2024 to open negotiations once the necessary conditions are met.
Brussels Seeks Faster Integration Before Full Membership
The reported initiative is part of a broader EU discussion about “pre-enlargement” policies and gradual integration. The Commission has argued that candidate countries should be able to benefit more from closer integration with the Union while they work toward full membership.
A 2025 Commission document described enlargement as a political and geostrategic imperative, while emphasizing that candidates must complete a rigorous, merit-based process and implement deep and lasting reforms.
The EU is also examining how its own institutions and policies could adapt to a larger Union, including possible safeguards and transitional arrangements for future members.
EU leaders are expected to discuss enlargement and the bloc’s internal reforms at a summit in Brussels in October. The Commission is seeking political support from member states for efforts to accelerate the accession process.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also due to travel to the Western Balkans this week, including visits to Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia, as Brussels seeks to maintain momentum around EU enlargement.
