In 2016, the European Union is looking to expand. Its members have decided to hear the cases of six candidate countries. At the end of deliberations it will allow two of the six countries into the European Union.
Choose a country from the list of candidates: Serbia, Turkey, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, or Macedonia. Imagine you are representing that country for admission into the EU. Research your country of choice and then write a two-paragraph statement or speech explaining why your country should be admitted. Emphasize your country's strength(s) and what it can contribute to the EU while acknowledging your country's weaknesses and how you plan to address them.
Things you might consider while researching your country: its history, its government structure, how well its economy is doing, and what it might bring to the EU in terms of the EU's goals for the future.
Answers
There are five recognised candidates for future membership of the European Union: Turkey (applied on 14 April 1987), North Macedonia (applied on 22 March 2004 as "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"), Montenegro (applied in 2008), Albania (applied in 2009), and Serbia (applied in 2009). All except Albania and North Macedonia have started accession negotiations.[1][2] Kosovo, whose independence is not recognised by five EU member states,[3] and Bosnia and Herzegovina are recognised as potential candidates for membership by the EU. Bosnia and Herzegovina has formally submitted an application for membership, while Kosovo has a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, which generally precedes the lodging of membership application. In July 2014, Jean-Claude Juncker announced that the EU had no plans to expand before 2019,[4] while Serbia and Montenegro, the most advanced candidates, are both expected to join no earlier than 2025.[5] While the others are progressing, Turkish talks are at an effective standstill.[6]
The accession criteria are included in the Copenhagen criteria, agreed in 1993, and the Treaty of Maastricht (Article 49). Article 49 of the Maastricht Treaty (as amended) says that any "European state" that respects the "principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law", may apply to join the EU. Whether a country is European or not is subject to political assessment by the EU institutions.[7]