Membership status

Candidate country

Background

Albania was identified as a potential candidate for EU membership during the Thessaloniki European Council summit in June 2003.

In 2009, Albania submitted its formal application for EU membership.

In October 2012, Commission recommended that Albania be granted EU candidate status, subject to completion of key measures in the areas of judicial and public administration reform and revision of the parliamentary rules of procedures.

In June 2014 the EU candidate country status was granted.

In April 2018, the Commission recommended the opening of accession negotiations.

In June 2018, the Council set out the path towards opening accession negotiations.

Being a candidate country for EU membership Albania is a member of the Energy Community. It is required to transpose the EU acquis and the Third Energy Package (rules for the internal gas and electricity markets, transmission and interconnections).

Source: European Commission - European Neighbourhood Policy And Enlargement Negotiation

Update: July 2018

Membership status

Potential candidate

Background

Bosnia and Herzegovina was identified as a potential candidate for EU membership during the Thessaloniki European Council summit in June 2003.

In July 2008, the Stabilisation and Association Interim Agreement entered into force. 

In December 2010, the visa liberalisation agreement entered into force.

In June 2015, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement entered into force.

In February 2016,  Bosnia and Herzegovina submitted its EU-membership application.

In September 2016, the Council invited the Commission to submit an Opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina application.

Common Foreign and Security Policy and the European Security and Defence Policy

Within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) the EU continues to deploy considerable resources in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The EUFOR/Althea mission is still present in Bosnia and Herzegovina. By the reinforced EUSR Office and the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) and through other instruments the European Union remains committed to  strengthening the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Source: European Commission - European Neighbourhood Policy And Enlargement Negotiation

Update: July 2018

Membership status

Along with Romania, Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, bringing the number of member states to 27 countries.

Membership status

Member country

Background

Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003 and was in negotiations from 2005 until 2011.

On 9 December 2011 leaders from the EU and Croatia signed the accession treaty. After its ratification by all EU countries and Croatia,  the country became the 28th EU member country on 1 July 2013.

Throughout the interim period until the accession, Croatia as an acceding country had active observer status in the European Institutions. The purpose was to allow Croatia to become familiar with the working methods of the EU institutions and to be involved in the decision-making process.

Membership status

Estonia is an EU member country since 1 May 2004

The country has 6 seats in the European Parliament.

Estonia is a member of the eurozone since 1 January 2011.

Estonia is a Schengen Area member since 21 December 2007.

Estonia held the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time in the first half of 2018.

Membership status

Hungary is an EU member country since 1 May 2004 and has 21 seats in the European Parliament. 

Hungary has a permanent representation in Brussels that ensures a communication with the EU bodies. This representation of the country intends to make sure that the country's interests are well represented in the EU.

Hungary took over the presidency of the Council of the EU between Jan-Jun 2011.

Update: February 2018

Membership status

Latvia is an EU member country since 1 May 2004. After examination of all relevant macroeconomic criteria the admission was approved.On 1 January 2014 Latvia joined the eurozone. This means that the EURO replaced Latvian lat and was introduced as new official currency. Latvia is a Schengen Area member since 21 December 2007.Latvia was holding the presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time between the period of 1 January and 30 June in 2015. Since elections in 24 May 2014, Latvia currently has 8 seats in the European Parliament.

Source: Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and European Commision

Membership status

Lithuania is EU member since May 2004.

The country held the presidency of the Council of the EU once in 2013. 11 members of the European Parliament come form Lithuania. The country has a permanent representaton in Brussels through which it communicates with the EU institutions.

Membership status

Moldova cooperates with the EU in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership. The country does not have a candidate status.

EU assistance to Moldova supports the objectives of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement. It aligns with the country's reform commitments under the Association Agreement and aims at strengthening the rule of law, as well as improving the business climate, by utilizing the benefits of the DCFTA (Deep and comprehensive free trade area), and supporting greater connectivity between Moldova and the EU in the areas of energy and transport.

In the frame of the Energy Policy Moldova intends to joint ENTSO-E and ENTSO-G and to implement all EU Directives on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The new European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI) is the main financial instrument for the implementation of th ENP.

Source: European Commission - European Neighbourhood Policy And Enlargement Negotiation

Update July 2018

Membership status

Candidate country

Background

After separation from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, Montenegro in 2006 became independet. In 2008, the new country applied for EU membership.

In 2010, the Commission issued a favourable opinion on Montenegro's application, and the Council granted its candidate status.

In December 2011, the Council launched the accession process with a view to opening negotiations in June 2012.

Montenegro started accession negotiations with the EU in June 2012 and strives to join by 2020, ahead of the other countries in the Western Balkans. Of the 35 negotiation chapters, two were provisionally closed and 22 were opened. In the latest European Commission (EC) Progress Report on Montenegro issued in November 2015, the EC notes that the country has made good progress towards meeting opening benchmarks for chapters such as agriculture and rural development, energy, employment and social policy, and regional policy and preparation for structural instruments. The report also notes that particular attention needs to be paid to fulfilling the opening benchmarks in chapters such as competition policy and environment and climate change.

In June 2018 After six years of accession negotiations, 31 out of 35 negotiating chapters have been opened, of which 3 are provisionally closed

Source: European Commission - European Neighbourhood Policy And Enlargement Negotiation

Update: July 2018

Membership status

North Macedonia was the first country to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU, in 2001. It has been a candidate country for eight years, since the Commission’s positive Opinion in November 2005 and the Council’s decision in December 2005. Since 2009, the Commission has assessed that the country sufficiently meets the political criteria and recommended the opening of negotiations. The Commission has also recommended, since 2009, that the second stage of the association, under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, should begin.

North Macedonia – along with other Western Balkans countries – was identified as a potential candidate for EU membership during the Thessaloniki European Council summit in 2003.

North Macedonia applied for EU membership in March 2004.

The Commission issued a favourable opinion in November 2005, and the Council decided in December 2005 to grant the country candidate status. In October 2009, the Commission recommended that accession negotiations be opened.

Last update March 2019

Membership status

Romania is an EU member country since 1 January 2007.

Romania will hold the presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time from July to December 2019.

Membership Status

Candidate

Background

Serbia – along with 5 other Western Balkans countries – was identified as a potential candidate for EU membership during the Thessaloniki European Council summit in 2003.

In 2008, a European partnership for Serbia was adopted, setting out priorities for the country's membership application, and in 2009 Serbia formally applied.

In December 2009, the visa-free travel to the EU was granted to Serbia.

In March 2012 Serbia was granted EU candidate status.

In September 2013 a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Serbia entered into force. In line with the decision of the European Council in June 2013 to open accession negotiations with Serbia, the Council adopted in December 2013 the negotiating framework and agreed to hold the 1st Intergovernmental Conference with Serbia in January 2014.

In June 2018 14 chapters out of 35 opened of which 2 provisionally closed.

Source: European Commission - European Neighbourhood Policy And Enlargement Negotiation

Update: July 2018

Membership status

Slovakia is a parliamentary republic and EU member country since 1 May 2004 with 13 seats in the European Parliament. Slovakia will hold the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time in 2016. Slovakia held the presidency of the Council of the EU from July to December 2016.

Membership status

Slovenia is an EU member country since 1 May 2004 and presently has 8 seats in the European Parliament

Membership status

Candidate country

Background

In 1987, Turkey applied to join what was then the European Economic Community, and in 1997 it was declared eligible to join the EU.

Turkey's involvement with European integration dates back to 1959 and includes the Ankara Association Agreement (1963) for the progressive establishment of a Customs Union (ultimately set up in 1995).

Accession negotiations started in 2005, but until Turkey agrees to apply the Additional Protocol of the Ankara Association Agreement to Cyprus, eight negotiation chapters will not be opened and no chapter will be provisionally closed.

Membership status

Ukraine became member of the Energy Community in 2011 by signing the Energy Community Treaty that aims to align the country's energy laws with EU legislation.

In 2014, Ukraine, the EU and Euratom ratified an Association Agreement entailing several reforms of the energy sector. The price for the supply of gas and electricity to industrial consumers must solely be determined by supply and demand, dual pricing in the energy sector is forbidden.
In 2014, Russia annexed the Crimea Region of Ukraine. Since then a civil war troubled the eastern part of the country. As a consequence two provinces voted for the separation from Ukraine.

More information on EU and Ukraine

Update February 2017