European Union: questions about a potential enlargement

It was a long-awaited decision. The European Commission declared itself in favor of Ukraine’s integration into the European Union (EU) on Friday 17 June. Today there are 27 members in the EU, up from six founding states at the start. Five countries have officially applied to join it: Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. However, the conditions are not yet required for these countries to be in the EU.

Ukraine has also applied to join the EU. Like the other countries, it will have to prove that it can enter it, and the fight against corruption within the country is one of the major issues. Waiting for many years to join the EU, some countries have no choice but to form economic alliances with other powers such as Russia or China. While waiting to be able to bring these countries back, France has expressed the wish to create the European political community which would allow the integration of the countries on hold, or others such as Switzerland or Norway.