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ARTICLE · 18 JUNE 2026

EU Enlargement Back On The Agenda: What To Know

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Political momentum is growing to admit new members into the EU for the first time since 2013. Before a June 5 summit hosted in Tivat, Montenegro, a non-paper circulated by Germany and France endorsed...

GlobalGovernment, Public Sector
Thomas Goldstein
Thomas Goldstein

Political momentum is growing to admit new members into the EU for the first time since 2013. Before a June 5 summit hosted in Tivat, Montenegro, a non-paper circulated by Germany and France endorsed a “gradual enlargement” approach to grant EU candidates privileges as they complete relevant reforms, before full membership, thereby locking in accession. This pivot is a technical but important signal that the EU’s Franco-German engine is considering bending the rules to treat enlargement as a geopolitical necessity. However, enlargement is a political minefield. To translate momentum into reality, EU member states must also resolve questions of unanimity in foreign policy decision-making, where EU budget funds go, and the politics of whether Ukraine “cuts the line.” On the upside, an enlarged EU would eliminate nontariff barriers across Europe and open new investment opportunities. On the downside, a rushed enlargement could create friction with the US, complicate internal EU political

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