European Council President Charles Michel said that if the EU wanted to remain ‘credible’, it must do its ‘homework’ ahead of a proposed 2030 enlargement of the bloc, during the Bled Strategy Forum in Slovenia on Monday.
« There is still a lot of work to do. It will be difficult it will be complex and sometimes painful for the future Member States and for the EU. But let us be clear if we want to be credible, I believe we must talk about timing, we must talk about our homework, » he said.
« And I have a suggestion, as we prepare the EU’s next strategic agenda, we must set ourselves a clear goal. I believe we must be ready, on both sides, by 2030 to enlarge, » Michel added.
Michel also said that the next long-term budget for the EU needed to include ‘common goals’ to ‘show we are serious’ and to ‘build momentum’ on working together and generating both interest and investment.
« The window of opportunity is open. We need to act on it, » he said.
« That is why EU leaders will discuss enlargement at our next European Council meetings. We will take a stand on the opening of negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. And I also expect Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia to be back on the table, » he continued.
The Annual Bled Strategic Forum, an international conference, takes place from August 28-29, 2023, in Bled, Slovenia. The event, themed ‘Solidarity for Global Security,’ aims to bring together those with diverse perspectives to address worldwide security challenges.
