Current candidate countries are:
- Albania.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Georgia.
- Moldova.
- Montenegro.
- North Macedonia.
- Serbia.
- Türkiye.
As of 2022, accession negotiations are under way with Albania (since 2020), Montenegro (since 2012), North Macedonia (since 2020), Serbia (since 2014) and Turkey (since 2005). Negotiations with Turkey are ongoing, but have effectively paused due to objections from the EU.Bosnia and Herzegovina has been recognised by the European Union as a "candidate country" for accession since the decision of the European Council in 2022 and is on the current agenda for future enlargement of the EU.
Why can’t North Macedonia join the EU : Name dispute with Greece
Greece, as any other EU country, has veto power against new accessions, and blocked Macedonian accession due to the naming dispute.
Can the UK rejoin the EU
Potential enlargement of the European Union is governed by Article 49 of the Maastricht Treaty. If the UK applied to rejoin the EU, it would need to apply and have its application terms supported unanimously by the EU member states.
Why is Turkey not in the EU : Turkey borders two EU member states: Bulgaria and Greece. Turkey has been an applicant to accede to the EU since 1987, but since 2016 accession negotiations have stalled. The EU has criticised Turkey for human rights violations and deficits in rule of law.
History of enlargement
Croatia joins the EU in the most recent enlargement. Bulgaria and Romania join the EU. Ten new countries join the EU: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Albania is on the current agenda for future enlargement of the European Union (EU). It applied for EU membership on 28 April 2009, and has since June 2014 been an official candidate for accession.
Will Slovenia join the EU
Slovenia becomes a full member of the European Union
On 23 March 2003, the majority of Slovenian citizens voted in favour of Slovenia joining the EU in a referendum on Slovenia's accession to the EU and, on 1 May 2004, Slovenia became a full member of the EU after completing the accession process.The EU has accused and criticized Turkey for human rights violations and deficits in rule of law.Albania submitted answers to the European Commission's questionnaire, but candidacy status was not granted by the EU in December 2010 due to a long-lasting political row in the country. The European Commission proposed visa free travel for Albania.
Share of people who think Brexit was the right or wrong decision 2020-2024. As of May 2024, 55 percent of people in Great Britain thought that it was wrong to leave the European Union, compared with 31 percent who thought it was the right decision.
Can a country rejoin EU after leaving : Should a former member state seek to rejoin the European Union, it would be subject to the same conditions as any other applicant country. Remaining members of the EU would need to manage consequential changes over the EU's budgets, voting allocations and policies brought about by the withdrawal of any member state.
Could Turkey ever join the EU : In 2007, Turkey stated that they were aiming to comply with EU law by 2013, but Brussels refused to back that as a deadline for membership. In 2006 President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso said that the accession process will take at least until 2021.
Why is Norway not in the EU
A major issue for Norway is its fishing resources, which are a significant part of the national economy and which would come under the Common Fisheries Policy if Norway were to accede to the EU. Norway has high GNP per capita, and would have to pay a high membership fee.
A major issue for Norway is its fishing resources, which are a significant part of the national economy and which would come under the Common Fisheries Policy if Norway were to accede to the EU. Norway has high GNP per capita, and would have to pay a high membership fee.Montenegro and Serbia, the most advanced candidates, are expected to join earlier than the others. Due to multiple factors, talks with Turkey are at an effective standstill. The accession criteria are included in the Copenhagen criteria, agreed in 1993, and the Treaty of Maastricht (Article 49).
Can Ukraine join the EU : During the meeting of the EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council, the "EU-Ukraine Association Agenda" was politically approved. The European Parliament has approved a resolution on the situation in Ukraine, which, in particular, recognizes Ukraine's right to join the European Union.