Enlargement Package 2023
On 8 November 2023, the European Commission adopted its 2023 Enlargement Package, providing a detailed assessment of the state of play and the progress made by the Western Balkans, Türkiye, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine on their respective paths towards the European Union, with a particular focus on implementing fundamental reforms, as well as clear guidance on the reform priorities ahead.
New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans
On 08 November 2023, the European Commission also adopted a new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, with the aim of bringing some of the benefits of membership to the region in advance of accession, boost economic growth and accelerate much needed socio-economic convergence. The objective should be to enable partners to step up reforms and investments to significantly accelerate the speed of the enlargement process and the growth of their economies. For this, a new €6 billion Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans has been proposed for the period 2024-2027.
Support for Ukraine
The EU stands united in its solidarity with Ukraine and will continue to support Ukraine and its people together with its international partners, including through political, financial and humanitarian support as long as needed.
The EU has reacted swiftly and decisively against Russia’s aggression by adopting unprecedented packages of sanctions targeting the Russian economy and financial system, the Kremlin media machine and its corrupt elite.
Latest news
Starting this summer, thousands of young people will once again travel around Europe by train for free thanks to the latest call of the DiscoverEU programme. Today at 12:00 CET during the European Youth Week buzzing with activities, the Commission launched the latest DiscoverEU application round.
Today, the Commission has adopted a proposal for a Council Implementing Decision that assesses positively the Ukraine Plan, Ukraine's comprehensive reform and investment strategy for the next four years. This important step paves the way for regular and predictable support to Ukraine under the EU's
Launched in 2022, the European Union-funded Western Balkans EDIF Guarantee for SME Resilience Initiative will increase access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and their ability to cope with challenging economic circumstances.
Today, the Commission announced 20 laureates of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Prizes 2024, for the fourth year in a row, organised with funding from the Cohesion Policy. These prizes reward outstanding projects and initiatives that combine sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics, demonstrating how