Nicosia, Cyprus. European Affairs Deputy Minister Marilena Raouna said on Tuesday that enlargement is an “indispensable commitment” for the European Union, as she opened a European Parliament debate on the bloc’s governance.
Enlargement linked to EU evolution
Raouna said the EU has evolved “not despite crises, but because of them,” adding that enlargement is a key part of that evolution. She said enlargement was “at the heart” of an informal ministerial meeting held in Nicosia a couple of weeks ago, with participation from enlargement partners.
Accession criteria and urgency
Raouna said discussions focused on “the fundamentals, the backbone of enlargement,” including the rule of law, democratic institutions and economic criteria. She added that the talks “highlighted that geopolitical urgency does not lower the bar for accession”.
Her comments followed the EU rejecting Ukraine’s advances toward a “fast track” to membership after Russia’s invasion, while Politico reported Kyiv would instead be offered a “package of short-term benefits” to bring it closer to the EU in the meantime.
Expectations for candidates and EU obligations
Raouna said “enlargement partners are expected to deliver sustained and measurable results,” and added that the EU must provide “clarity, predictability and fairness” in how it treats candidate countries.
Cyprus presidency and EU preparedness
She said Cyprus, during its term holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, worked to deliver “concrete progress on enlargement,” while upholding the established methodology and its merit-based character. Raouna added that the EU “also needs to be ready at the time of accession,” arguing that alongside enlargement the union should prepare internal reforms and address issues related to priorities, policies and its capacity to act.
Single market reform roadmap
Raouna pointed to the signing last month of the One Europe, One Market roadmap, aimed at strengthening the European single market, by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
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