EU to assess changes needed to prepare for future enlargement, says European Commission chief

The European Union will assess changes needed to its institutions, policies, and budget as it prepares for future enlargement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Friday.

Speaking at a press conference alongside North Macedonian Premier Hristijan Mickoski in Skopje, the country's capital, von der Leyen said the EU will present its so-called pre-enlargement policy reviews next week.

The reviews will examine "our institutions, our policies, our budget" and what needs to change to enable the EU to welcome future member states, she said.

Her remarks come amid media reports that Brussels is considering ways to deepen ties with candidate countries before they achieve full membership.

The proposal envisages the "gradual integration" of candidate countries into the EU's single market, including closer trade links, according to Politico.

"Enlargement, of course, is a two-way process. Candidate countries must be ready to join, but we, as the European Union, must also be ready to welcome them," von der Leyen said.

"We want to make sure that our European Union is ready to become larger," she added.

Turning to North Macedonia, she said the country now needs to take a key step to move forward and open the fundamentals cluster in its accession negotiations.

Von der Leyen also reaffirmed the EU's support for North Macedonia's European path, saying the bloc welcomes the country's identity, language and culture.

North Macedonia's EU accession path has faced obstacles linked to unresolved issues with neighboring Greece and Bulgaria, including disputes over historical, linguistic, and identity-related matters.