EU Commission: Von der Leyen, “enlargement is a vital policy for the European Union”

(Brussels) “Enlargement is a vital policy for the European Union. Completing our Union is the call of history, the natural horizon of our Union”. There is no lack of emphasis in the remarks made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels today as she presented the Enlargement Package. “Completing our Union, also has a strong economic and geopolitical logic. Past enlargements have shown the enormous benefits both for the accession countries and the EU”. In particular, speaking about Ukraine, the President recalled the ongoing war and the difficulties the country is facing, although it has “already completed way over 90 per cent” of its required steps to open EU accession negotiations, which, however, will take time. “In Ukraine, the decision to grant EU candidate status created a powerful reform dynamic, despite the ongoing war, with strong support from the people of Ukraine”, the Commission’s report reads. “The Ukrainian government and Parliament demonstrated resolve in making substantial progress” on the necessary reforms. Ukraine “has established a transparent pre-selection system for the Constitutional Court judges and reformed the judicial governance bodies. It has further developed” its commitment to fighting corruption and “strengthened its institutional framework”. Ukraine “has taken positive steps in a wider and systemic effort to address the influence of oligarchs”. Moldova and Georgia, too, according to the Commission, made progress, although there are still delays in the implementation of reforms and overall weaknesses to be addressed.
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