Accession of North Macedonia to the European Union

Accession of North Macedonia to the European Union
StatusNegotiating Candidate
Application
Membership application24 March 2004
Screened & negotiations commence
Chapters closed
Not yet applicable
Memberships & Treaties
Association Agreement
Economic and monetary policy
Travel
Energy
Foreign and military policy
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)27 March 2020
Human rights and international courts
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Impact (27+1)
Population446,828,803
Area4,233,262 km2
1,634,472 mi2
HDI0.896
GDP (PPP)$25.399 trillion
GDP per capita (PPP)$56,928
GDP$17.818 trillion
GDP per capita$39,940
Gini30.0
Official Languages2425
+ 1 (Macedonian)
Politics of North Macedonia
Constitution
Executive
Legislature
Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations
flag North Macedonia portal

The accession of North Macedonia to the European Union has been on the current agenda for future enlargement of the EU since 2005, when it became an official candidate for accession. The then Republic of Macedonia submitted its membership application in 2004, thirteen years after its independence from Yugoslavia. It is one of nine current EU candidate countries, together with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.

The use of the country name "Macedonia" was the object of a dispute with neighboring Greece between 1991 and 2019, resulting in a Greek veto against EU and NATO accession talks, which lasted from 2008 to 2019. After the issue was resolved, the EU gave its formal approval to begin accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania in March 2020.[1]

However, in November 2020, Bulgaria effectively blocked the official start of North Macedonia's EU accession negotiations over what it perceives as slow progress on the implementation of the 2017 friendship treaty between the two countries, state-supported or tolerated hate speech and minority claims towards Bulgaria.[2]

On 24 June 2022, Bulgaria's parliament approved lifting the country's veto on opening EU accession talks with North Macedonia. On 16 July 2022, the Assembly of North Macedonia also approved the revised French proposal, allowing accession negotiations to begin.[3] The start of negotiations was officially launched on 19 July 2022.[4] To make progress, however, the country must change its constitution, including local Bulgarians in it, and overcome the latent opposition of neighbouring Bulgaria.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ "EU Leaders Give Final OK To Begin North Macedonia, Albania Membership Talks". RadioFreeEurope. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Bulgaria threatens to veto North Macedonia's EU talks". Politico. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  3. ^ "North Macedonia: Parliament approves deal to start EU bid". Deutsche Welle. 16 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  4. ^ Casert, Raf (19 July 2022). "EU starts membership talks with Albania, North Macedonia". Associated Press. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  5. ^ Aleksandar Samardjiev (11 August 2022). "North Macedonia: EU membership remains a never-ending challenge". Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Council conclusions on Enlargement (16707/23)". Consilium. General Secretariat of the Council. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  7. ^ "European Council conclusions on Ukraine, enlargement and reforms". 14 December 2023.