site.btaEU Enlargement Is Investment in Collective Security and Freedom, Says EC President

In times of geopolitical uncertainty, European Union (EU) enlargement is more than a choice for peace, it is an investment in collective security and freedom, said European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen Tuesday in a video address to participants in the EU Enlargement Forum in Brussels.

“From its very foundation, the EU has been a peace project. It is the thread that has bound our Member States together and guided each step of our integration,” von der Leyen said. 

“Of course, the way to European membership is challenging, as it requires many reforms, and alignment with our EU is key. But the benefits are many and countries that joined the EU in the last wave experienced incredible economic growth: living standards doubled, unemployment almost halved, life expectancy rose by an average of four years, and six million new jobs were created. The same will happen with the next enlargement process, but we wanted to advance some of the positive effects already now, and this is the purpose of our growth plans,” the EC President emphasized. 

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said that Europe needs to be cleared of autocracies and that it is essential to defend its space of freedom and democracy. She added that enlargement policy was once again being used to address gaps in prosperity, freedom and stability across Europe, which were increasingly being exploited by adversaries, human traffickers and criminals.

“There have been significant advances on the EU path achieved so far by Montenegro, Albania, Moldova, and of course, Ukraine. And this shows that really reform pays off. The EU has also stepped up gradual integration, including through the Ukraine facility and the growth plan for Western Balkans and Moldova. And this is already making the EU a lived reality in candidates today. And we need to keep pace with the geopolitical urgency of our time,” Kos said.

“I see three strands of our work as we move forward. First,  any progress we make with our future member states must be credible. Candidates need to align with their key fully. And they need to implement it effectively. There will be no shortcuts. I'm often asked, will those geopolitical arguments mean we should turn a blind eye and get new members no matter what? No, I tell you, it is exactly the opposite. When democratic structures are weak or the rule of law is defect, it can open the door to malign influence, to corruption and organized crime,” the Commissioner noted. 

Also taking part in Tuesday’s forum are the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, EU Commissioner for Defence, Andrius Kubilius, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Montenegrin Prime Minister, Milo Dukanovic, Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu, Serbian Parliament President Ana Brnabic, and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister, Taras Kachka.