Thewesternbalkans.
On November 4, 2025 the European Commission issued its Annual Enlargement Progress Reports. The European Parliament designated reporters on every candidate country and started a process of analyses of the European Commission’s reports. After discussions at different commissions of the Parliament, finally on 17 of June 2026 reports have been voted.
Türkiye. This is the second report in this legislature on the progress of Türkiye as a candidate country to the EU.
Accession negotiations with Türkiye have remained at a standstill since 2018, in line with the European Council Conclusions.
The report argues that, despite the Turkish Government’s recent statements on its commitment to the EU membership, the gap between Türkiye and the EU’s values and normative framework (which are at the core of the accession process) has remained unaddressed during the last period with persisting laws and measures aimed at curtailing the rule of law and fundamental rights. The report calls once again to put an end to the constant attacks on the rights of members of the opposition, denouncing in particular the situation of the CHP and its presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, artists, academics and civil society activists, among others. The report is highly critical with the silence of other EU institutions and many EU Member States, in the face of the erosion of the rule of law in Türkiye, urging them to be more vocal in this regard. As a conclusion, given the lack of improvements by the Turkish authorities with regard to the democratic backsliding in the country, the report expresses that the Parliament has no other option but to reiterate that Türkiye’s EU accession process cannot be resumed. The report urges the Turkish Government and the European Union’s institutions and Member States to keep working, beyond the currently frozen accession process, towards a closer, more dynamic and strategic partnership.
Albania. The report evaluates the state of play and latest developments regarding Albania’s progress in joining the EU.
Albania has been an EU candidate country since 2014, began accession negotiations in July 2022, successfully completed the screening process in November 2023 and opened all negotiation clusters between 15 October 2024 and 17 November 2025 – in a record time of just over a year.
In this and the next year, Albania will need to maintain the momentum to deliver on its goal of being ready for EU accession by the end of 2027. This would allow the Member States to proceed with the ratification of the accession treaty for Albania to enter the EU by the end of the decade. In this next phase, effective implementation of adopted reforms on the ground will be essential.
Despite the progress achieved, Albania still faces several challenges such as overcoming internal political polarisation and improving political culture, strengthening the rule of law and consolidating anti-corruption reforms. Particular focus is placed on socio-economic reforms and highlights the key importance of genuine social dialogue for delivering benefits of enlargement to all segments of the population.
Montenegro. The country continues to be recognised as the frontrunner for membership in the European Union and, over the past year, has taken steps that confirm this status.
This report of the European Parliament is based on close observation of day-to-day developments and a rigorous assessment of the progress and activities of relevant stakeholders.
Undoubtedly, the closure of five negotiating chapters at the end of last year demonstrates progress, and the closure of Chapter 32 in January 2026 is also good news. The Montenegrin negotiating team has set itself the very ambitious goal of closing all chapters by the end of 2026.
The fight against organised crime and corruption, as well as concerns relating to media freedom and civil society, remain firmly on the agenda.
Most importantly in the entire process, public opinion surveys on support for EU membership continue to show strong backing from citizens. Most of the political spectrum is aware of this reality and acts accordingly. Most political actors have internalised the accession process as the most important state-building undertaking and a decisive turning point for the country.
Montenegro is facing an exceptionally demanding year. Time is short and there is much work to be done. The report should serve both as recognition of the progress achieved so far and as encouragement for the period ahead.
Bosnia and Herzegovina. The report aims to reaffirm the European Parliament’s strong and long-lasting support for BiH’s EU membership. BiH holds an important position within the Western Balkans and is a key element of the European Union’s enlargement agenda.
The report mainly focuses on the commitment of BiH to the accession to the European Union, democracy and rule of law, fundamental freedoms, human rights, good neighbourly relations and reconciliation and socioeconomic reforms, all of which are essential for the country’s integration into the EU.
The report is very critical about the internal political situation. The main conclusion is that a country whose state representatives cannot reach an agreement among themselves remaining entangled in discord over important internal matters, threats of secession and overall instability.
The report strongly calls on the BiH officials to work together for the appointment of a chief negotiator for EU accession. It will be very important also the adoption of the Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council and Law on Courts, to begin formal negotiations to enter the EU. It highlights the need for urgent reforms, anti-corruption measures, judicial independence and supports Civil Societies and free media. The report highlights the need to strengthen BiH’s democratic institutions and counter threats to stability. Finally, the report aims to encourage progress in aligning energy policies with EU standards, promoting environmental sustainability through climate legislation and biodiversity initiatives, and enhancing connectivity through infrastructure improvements, green and digital transitions, and effective management of flooding and air pollution.
Republic of North Macedonia. The main conclusion of the reporter for North Macedonia is that the country finds itself in a difficult position, as the accession process remains at a standstill.
Despite some positive reform steps, progress on the EU reform agenda – particularly in key areas such as the rule of law, judicial reform, and the fight against corruption – has been insufficient.
No progress has been made on the constitutional amendments, expressing Macedonian concerns about potential additional bilateral blockades or demands from its neighbouring country. There is an urgent need for increased political will to move beyond this impasse.
The process of integration in the EU will, in any scenario, remain merit-based and firmly grounded in progress on the fundamentals, particularly the rule of law. It is therefore essential that all political stakeholders in North Macedonia, notably the Government and Members of Parliament of the ruling majority, recognise this renewed sense of urgency and start delivering tangible, convincing, and genuine results in these core areas without any further delay.
A functioning rule of law and a predictable, trustworthy investment climate are prerequisites for sustainable economic development. It will also enable the country and its citizens to fully benefit from gradual integration schemes and projects offered by the European Union.
The reporter also appeals that the EU and its Member States must also deliver. We must fully support the country, including through active diplomatic engagement to help North Macedonia making progress on its own commitments and overcome existing obstacles. He also as in the previous reporting period, remains committed to fostering a stable, constructive, pro-European, pro-democratic, and pro-enlargement majority in support of North Macedonia’s EU accession. He looks forward to securing the backing of all Members who share this strategic objective.
Kosovo. The European Parliament closely follows political and socio-economic developments in Kosovo and the report aims to provide Parliament’s assessment of the situation in Kosovo.
In summary, 2025 must be considered a lost year for Kosovo, as after the regular elections to the National Assembly in February, neither a legislative body nor a government could be put into operation. Although all three elections, which took place in Kosovo in 2025 – two parliamentary and one local – were all conducted peacefully and in an orderly manner, the normal political process was deeply disrupted. As a result, several political and economic reforms suffered, and the Western Balkans Growth Plan could not be implemented.
Challenges remain in judicial reform, media freedom, public administration efficiency, and the digitalization of public services. Continued commitment to comprehensive reforms and inclusive governance is essential for Kosovo’s advancement on its European integration path.
Several of Kosovo’s challenges are legacy problems, the resolution of which requires the involvement of the entire region in the broader European Union integration process. The Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, which was launched to find a compromise acceptable to the parties, has unfortunately not yielded the expected results. The dialogue was basically dormant in 2025. The European Commission, as well as the European Parliament and the Member States, must certainly do everything to ensure that the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue continues with renewed vigour. The extension of the mandate of the Special Representative, Peter Sörensen, until February 2028, is therefore very welcome.
Comments: The reports of the European Parliament on the reports of the European Commission about the progress of candidate countries for EU membership are an attempt to show political support for the integration process. Naturally, we should also take into account the fact that the acts of the EP on EU foreign and security policy issues have no legal binding.
Looking at it realistically, when you read these reports, you don’t learn anything more than what’s in the European Commission reports. But, the highest democratic body of the EU weighs in on the issue must be presented.
On the other hand, in some reports, the influence of various lobbyists clearly shows through. This is also noticeable in Thomas Weitz’s (Austria) report on the Republic of North Macedonia, which this year is significantly more objective. In any case, you can still see the subtle thread of support for the candidate country. Separately, his excuses to the media after the voting in the EP sound ridiculous.
Otherwise, in essence – Montenegro is the leader in the process, Albania follows it closely, Bosnia and Herzegovina is under pressure to implement reforms, and North Macedonia keeps being stubborn, which leads to a stalemate in the process. The conclusions about Kosovo are very interesting with the main problem being shifted from the sick head to the healthy one – Serbia is asked to recognize Kosovo, while at the same time there are five EU member states (Spain, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Cyprus) that do not recognize the new Balkan state.
