Press Release: Western Balkans and Turkey: enlargement process key to strengthened economic and political stability in the region

The European Commission issued its Annual Enlargement Package for 2015 on the 10 November 2015. This is a set of documents explaining its policy on EU enlargement and reporting on progress achieved in each country currently negotiating to join the EU - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey

For 2015 the European Commission made a number of changes to the enlargement package, compared to previous years.

First, unlike in previous years when a new strategy paper was adopted each year, the European Commission adopted an overarching strategy on enlargement policy covering the period of its mandate. It confirmed the 'fundamentals first' approach, highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and the connectivity agenda, and addressed the current refugee crisis.

Second, the Commission further strengthened the basis for its assessment in the annual country reports.

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: MEMO/15/6040: Fact Sheet: What's new in the 2015 enlargement package? http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-15-6040_en.htm

European Commission: DG NEAR: Enlargement: Enlargement Package: Annual Reports http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/countries/package/index_en.htm

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: SPEECH/15/6041, 10.11.15: 2015 Enlargement Package http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-15-6041_en.htm

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 17.11.15: Experts react: EU progress reports 2015 http://bit.ly/1HU1VtD

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