EU Enlargement in 2025: Why Some Nations Surge While Others Struggle
This week's episode of 'The Neighbourhood' delves into the intricacies of EU enlargement, focusing on the progress and challenges of reforms on the ground. Recorded on November 12th, 2025, the discussion features senior policy fellows Tiago Antunes, Leo Litra, and Engjellushe Morina from the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). They explore how to make EU conditionality more credible and whether EU reforms are driving change in governments and institutions.
The 2025 Enlargement Package reveals a mixed picture. Ukraine and Moldova are advancing, with Moldova making the most progress among all candidates in the past year. However, Ukraine needs to accelerate reforms to meet its 2028 EU accession target, while the European Commission monitors negotiations and reform requirements.
Meanwhile, Serbia and Georgia lag behind. The episode explores why some countries progress faster than others, touching on political will, institutional resilience, and the impact of enlargement on people's lives. Internal EU divisions and reform fatigue also come under scrutiny.
The EU's expansion continues to pose challenges and spark debate. While Ukraine and Moldova show progress, Serbia and Georgia face hurdles. This week's episode of 'The Neighbourhood' offers insights into how to make EU conditionality more credible and whether EU reforms are driving change. As the enlargement process evolves, understanding these dynamics is crucial for the EU and its neighbours.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
