The president of the European Council, António Costa, has warned countries aspiring to join the European Union that, despite the "sense of urgency" perceived in Brussels to advance enlargement given the current geopolitical context, this will not mean lowering or making more flexible the minimum requirements to join the community bloc.
Costa defended this position at a press conference in Brussels, at the end of the second EU-Moldova summit, where he appeared alongside the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Moldovan President Maia Sandu, a few days after the Union initiated formal negotiations with this Eastern European country by opening the first cluster of chapters.
"The enlargement (of the EU) must take into account the geopolitical context, and that means that both candidate countries and member states must understand and have a sense of urgency to move forward on this. This does not mean that we should forget what the criteria are: that everyone must work faster, meet all criteria, and move forward as soon as possible," he said.
The Portuguese leader stressed that the merit-based approach guiding accession to the Union implies that each aspiring state "needs to meet objective and concrete criteria," although this does not mean that the process must necessarily be prolonged. "It depends on the dynamic," he specified.
In this regard, he cited the case of Moldova, which "is moving very quickly" and, he assured, "if it maintains the same pace, we will manage to complete this first block quickly and the European Union could give the evaluation to open the next blocks quickly." "The merit basis means that everyone must meet the same criteria," he concluded.
Von der Leyen stresses that each candidate sets its own pace
The President of the European Commission spoke along the same lines, emphasizing that, once the first clusters of chapters are opened, "each candidate country is responsible for itself because it has to implement reforms," which are "different depending on" each state.
"Today I am only talking about Moldova, and I believe that the merit-based process benefits Moldova much more than the 'as soon as possible' concept. Because 'as soon as possible' says nothing, in relation to what? Instead, a merit-based process says it very clearly," the German leader defended.
He added that the merit-based accession procedure is a mechanism that "is very clearly established" within the Union, so following it "is much better for Moldova, because then they can comply and we can fulfill our promise."
"Moldova belongs to the EU," insist Costa and Von der Leyen
Both Costa and Von der Leyen have highlighted the progress made by Chisinau on its path to accession, calling the opening of the first group of chapters for its incorporation into the European Union a "historic milestone."
"The Moldovan people have chosen Europe. And their resilience and personal commitment are paying off," stated the President of the European Council, encouraging Sandu to "maintain the reform momentum" and strengthen "Moldova's alignment with the Community acquis."
Von der Leyen, for her part, reiterated that "Moldova belongs to the European Union" and that "the courage, determination, and commitment of its people" bring it "closer to our Union every day." "Europe supports Moldova: for reform, for opportunities, and for a shared future of peace, freedom, democracy, and prosperity," she concluded.