EU Enlargement & Neighbourhood Policy: What EPSO Tests

EU enlargement has returned to the centre of European politics. After years of "enlargement fatigue," the war in Ukraine and geopolitical shifts have revived the process. EPSO tests are reflecting this — expect more questions on accession, candidate countries, and neighbourhood policy.

The Enlargement Process

Copenhagen Criteria (1993)

To join the EU, a country must meet three criteria established at the Copenhagen European Council:

1. Political criterion: Stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and protection of minorities
2. Economic criterion: A functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competitive pressures within the EU
3. Acquis criterion: The ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic, and monetary union

EPSO trap: Meeting the Copenhagen criteria is necessary but not sufficient. Accession also requires unanimous agreement of all existing member states and ratification by national parliaments.

The Accession Process

1. Application: The country applies for membership
2. Candidate status: The European Council grants candidate status on the Commission's recommendation
3. Screening: The Commission assesses alignment with the 35 chapters of the EU acquis
4. Negotiations: Each chapter is opened and provisionally closed when the country meets the benchmarks
5. Accession Treaty: Signed by all member states and the candidate country
6. Ratification: All member state parliaments (and sometimes referendums) must ratify

This process typically takes a decade or more.

Current Candidate Countries

As of 2025, the following countries have candidate status:

• Turkey — Candidate since 1999. Negotiations effectively frozen since 2018.
• Montenegro — Candidate since 2010. Most advanced in negotiations among Western Balkan countries.
• Serbia — Candidate since 2012. Negotiations progressing slowly.
• Albania — Candidate since 2014. Accession negotiations opened in 2022.
• North Macedonia — Candidate since 2005. Negotiations opened in 2022 after resolving the name dispute with Greece.
• Ukraine — Candidate since 2022. Accession negotiations opened in 2024.
• Moldova — Candidate since 2022. Accession negotiations opened in 2024.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — Candidate since 2022. Negotiations not yet opened.
• Georgia — Candidate status granted in December 2023. However, the EU effectively froze the accession process in late 2024 due to concerns over democratic backsliding by the Georgian government. The situation remains unresolved.

Potential candidates: Kosovo (recognised by most but not all EU member states)

Enlargement Waves

Know the major enlargement waves:

• 1973: Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom (UK later left in 2020)
• 1981: Greece
• 1986: Spain, Portugal
• 1995: Austria, Finland, Sweden
• 2004: The "Big Bang" — 10 countries (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia)
• 2007: Bulgaria, Romania
• 2013: Croatia (most recent)

European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP)

The ENP is the EU's framework for relations with 16 neighbouring countries that are not candidates for membership. It is divided into two partnerships:

Eastern Partnership (EaP)

• Countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus (Belarus suspended its own participation in June 2021), Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine
• Note: Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia have moved beyond the ENP to candidate/candidate-adjacent status

Southern Neighbourhood (Union for the Mediterranean)

• Countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia
• Focus: stability, migration management, economic development

Key ENP Instruments

• Association Agreements: Comprehensive agreements covering trade, political dialogue, and reform commitments
• Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (DCFTAs): With Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia — align trade rules with the EU single market

What EPSO Tests

Common question types:

• Name the Copenhagen criteria (political, economic, acquis)
• Which countries are current EU candidates?
• How many member states does the EU have? (27)
• What was the largest enlargement wave? (2004, 10 countries)
• Who must ratify an accession treaty? (All member state parliaments)
• What is the difference between candidate status and opening negotiations?