Ticking time bomb: Completion date for EU enlargement unveiled as bloc eyes power grab
The EU has signalled the completion date for its enlargment plan
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The EU has signalled the completion date for its enlargment plan, as the bloc looks at increasing its geographical size.
European Council President Charles Michel has announced that the block is aiming to grant membership to its candidate countries by 2030.
While Ursula von der Leyen has argued against putting a date on it, the EU’s enlargement chief Olivér Várhelyi has backed Michel's timeline.
EU chiefs are eyeing up geographical expansion of the bloc, with eight recognised candidates for membership: Turkey, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Moldova, Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Charles Michel has announced that the block is aiming to grant membership to its candidate countries by 2030.
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Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, told Politico that the Ukraine and the Western Balkans need to gain EU member status "quickly".
Speaking at a meeting of foreign ministers in Spain, he said: "The Spanish presidency is proposing … to hold a ministerial meeting together with the Western Balkans ministers.
"We will do it at the end of next month."
He added: "The issue of enlargement has been floating over our discussions.
"Ukraine has to become a member of the European Union. The Western Balkans also. Quickly."
Turkey has been a candidate for full membership of the EU since 1999, having started talks with the European Economic Community in 1959, but there has been very little progress.
The EU stoppped engaging with Turkey when President Erdogan became increasingly unpredictable in the wake of a failed coup in 2016.
But in July, the EU agreed to re-engage with Turkey to progress its membership.
Turkey is understood to want a "new generation” customs plan, that would apply to services, agriculture and energy.
It has long complained that third countries that have customs deals with the EU can export their products into Turkey via the EU while Turkey is prohibited from exporting directly to those countries.
Today, the European Union's Enlargement Commissioner told Turkey that it must address issues around democracy and the rule of law if it wants to boost its drive to join the bloc.
Lawmakers in the bloc also recently floated a draft plan to tweak the Lisbon treaty and centralise power in the EU.
The 116-page document included a plan to expand Brussels' control over EU countries, proving many of the UK's Brexit voting community right.
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Ursula von der Leyen has argued against putting a date on granting membership to candidate countries
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The rule-by-the-majority plan, unveiled in a document seen by Politico, would apply in several areas, including defense, taxation and foreign policy.
The changes would be put in place through a tweak of the Lisbon Treaty. However, some insiders have slapped down the idea.
A senior EU diplomat said: "It’s a provocation. In Council there is no majority for treaty change."