Explainers7 min read·
Enlargement is back on the table. What that actually means.
Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans are all in the queue. Joining the EU is less a moment and more a long, boring paperwork marathon.
By Euvo Editorial Team
Joining the EU isn't a vote. It's a checklist. 35 Policy areas ('chapters') that a candidate country has to align with, one by one. Some take years.
Ukraine and Moldova opened negotiations in 2024. The Western Balkans have been in various stages of the process for over a decade. Georgia's bid is currently frozen.
For existing members, enlargement forces awkward questions: how do you vote when there are 33 countries at the table? How does the budget work? These are the fights happening in Brussels right now, well before any new flag goes up.
