Kathleen VAN BREMPT

Member of the European Parliament, S&D Group Vice-President for EU Enlargement

Twenty years after Montenegro regained independence, the upcoming EU-Western Balkan summit in Tivat should remind Europe of something essential: enlargement was never merely a bureaucratic exercise about negotiation chapters, institutional alignment or technical benchmarks. Enlargement was the political project through which Europe stabilised its continent after decades of division and conflict. And in today’s geopolitical reality, it must become that again.

The European Union grew on the conviction that democracy, economic cooperation and political integration create stability where nationalism, external interference and historical tensions once prevailed. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, enlargement helped consolidate democracies, strengthen institutions and reconnect a continent divided by ideology and geopolitics. It transformed Europe from a continent of blocs into a continent of partners.

Today, with war once again on European soil and geopolitical competition intensifying globally, that same logic has returned with full force. The Western Balkans are geographically surrounded by the European Union, economically tied to it and politically shaped by it. Yet they remain trapped in a prolonged state of uncertainty that increasingly benefits actors whose interests run directly counter to Europe’s strategic interests.

Geopolitical playground

Russia continues to exploit divisions through political interference and disinformation. China steadily expands economic dependency through strategic investments and infrastructure. Turkey and Gulf states continue to build influence across the region. At the same time, Donald Trump’s revival of transactional ‘America First’ politics are encouraging political leaders in the region to pursue short-term bilateral arrangements rather than long-term European alignment.

The result is a region that risks becoming a geopolitical playground precisely because Europe itself has too often appeared hesitant about its own future. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine fundamentally changed the debate around enlargement because it destroyed the illusion that unresolved grey zones on the European continent can remain permanently stable. Countries left in geopolitical limbo inevitably become economically, politically and institutionally vulnerable. Enlargement is therefore no longer only about prosperity or integration. It is increasingly about security, democratic resilience and Europe’s ability to shape its own neighbourhood.

Frontrunner in the waiting room

That is why the Western Balkans cannot remain endlessly in Europe’s waiting room. And there are reasons to believe that Europe is beginning to understand this. For the first time in years, there is renewed political momentum around enlargement. European leaders increasingly recognise that integrating the Western Balkans is not a peripheral issue but a strategic necessity for Europe.

The fact that Montenegro is hosting this summit twenty years after independence and fourteen years after opening accession negotiations is more than symbolic. It reflects a growing recognition that the European Union needs a credible success story in the region. Montenegro has become the frontrunner in the accession process, and recent steps by EU institutions to start drafting elements of an accession treaty have sent an important political signal. Public support for EU membership among Montenegrin citizens remains consistently high despite years of delays and frustrations. That persistence matters. It demonstrates that belief in the European project remains stronger than cynicism.

We support Montenegro’s ambition to become the European Union’s 28th member state by 2028. But support for enlargement also requires political honesty. Those in power carry the greatest responsibility for safeguarding democratic standards and public trust in institutions. Montenegro’s leadership must therefore continue to deliver credible reforms in judicial independence, anti-corruption measures, media freedom and democratic governance. European integration cannot be the project of a single governing majority alone. It must be carried across society broadly, involving opposition parties, trade unions, civil society organisations and social partners. Lasting democratic reform only succeeds when it is rooted socially as well as institutionally.

Stronger together

Enlargement is not a one-way street either. If the European Union wants public support for enlargement to remain strong, then the process itself must become more politically credible, more transparent and more tangible, both for citizens in candidate countries and for citizens inside the European Union.

That means modernising the enlargement process based on a few clear principles. And that starts by credibly defending our own values. There can be no compromise on democracy, the rule of law, human rights and good governance. These are the political foundations of the European project itself. Countries moving towards the European Union must strengthen democratic institutions, judicial independence and media freedom, not weaken them as accession approaches.

Secondly, enlargement must reinforce Europe’s geopolitical coherence. Candidate countries cannot simultaneously move towards EU membership while remaining strategically ambiguous on core foreign policy questions. In an increasingly unstable world, alignment with the European Union’s foreign and security policy is not optional. It is part of what membership means. Thirdly, enlargement must strengthen Europe’s social model rather than undermine it. European integration cannot become a race to the bottom on wages, labour rights or social protections. A stronger Europe must also remain a fairer Europe.

And finally, the accession process itself must once again become credible for citizens. Progress cannot remain invisible for decades. Countries that deliver reforms should also see concrete progress in return through greater access to the single market, participation in European programmes, integration into the SEPA payment system and lower roaming costs.

Ambitions

The world around us is changing rapidly, so it is time for Europe to step up its game and become more ambitious in politically integrating candidate countries long before formal accession is completed. Countries that have made substantial progress towards membership should no longer be excluded from the room while decisions about Europe’s future are being taken. Granting observer status in selected European institutions, deepening cooperation on security and defence, and progressively integrating candidate countries into key European policies would strengthen preparedness, political trust and strategic alignment on all sides.

Full membership, with full rights and responsibilities, must remain the final objective. But the road towards membership must once again become politically credible and visible for citizens. Because enlargement is ultimately not only about expanding the European Union geographically. It is about completing the European project politically: building a continent where democracy is defended, cooperation prevails over fragmentation, and Europe has the confidence to shape its own future rather than leaving parts of the continent vulnerable to outside influence and instability.

That was one of the European Union’s greatest achievements after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And it can once again become one of its greatest achievements.

Photo credits: Shutterstock/Cristi Dangeorge