ARTICLE
Ukraine should become EU member, it would be good to fix “horizon” for new members – Borrell
European Pravda
Thursday, 31 August 2023, 22:35
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/08/31/7417944/
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has supported the establishment of an indicative timeframe for the accession of new members to the EU.
SOURCE: European Pravda
DETAILS:
At a press conference following an informal meeting of foreign ministers in Toledo, Spain, Borrell said that the issue of expansion “hovered over our discussions”.
QUOTE:
“Ukraine should become a member of the EU, and the Western Balkans should join as well, and quickly. I think the war in Ukraine has had the side effect of accelerating the enlargement process, which is clearly a merit-based process: a candidate state will become a member when it fulfils all the conditions.
But at the same time, I think it would be good to set a political goal, a horizon, to give the political process a boost. And, of course, [a push – ed.] for us, because we also have to prepare for the expansion, which could lead to ten new members.”
DETAILS:
Borrell did not specify which new ten EU members he was referring to.
He said that the “time-bound goal” of EU enlargement can “mobilize our energy and that of the candidate states”.
BACKGROUND:
On 28 August, European Council President Charles Michel said at a forum in the Slovenian resort town of Bled that the European Union should be ready to accept new member states by 2030.
In front of the assembled leaders, he stressed that EU enlargement is and will remain a merit-based process, as EU membership carries both responsibilities and benefits.
The European Commission, however, did not support the call to prepare for EU enlargement by a specific year.
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