I would like to join the others to say thank you Edi (Rama), for your warm welcome and hospitality, and for this great video which clearly shows the broad context of this meeting. It is a pleasure to be back in Tirana.

I would also like to thank you Chancellor Scholz, dear Olaf, for Germany’s leadership of this Berlin Process and for your strong personal commitment to the region.

Several weeks ago, in Bled, I asked the question: “Is the European Union only content to manage crises or do we want to lead and shape the future?” The last 18 months have provided a strong and clear answer: we want to lead and we want to shape the future. And enlargement is part of this answer because enlargement is an investment in peace and prosperity, both for the EU and for our future member states.

The Berlin Process plays an important role in boosting operational cooperation between the Western Balkan partners and the EU, with EU integration as the guiding light. In the Western Balkans, your journey to the EU began more than 20 years ago. And, yes, it has been a slow road, too slow, disappointing to you in the region, and to us in the EU. But now we all feel, we all know, that it is time to keep our promise. We have already reenergised the process but we still have a lot to do to get ready, on both sides.

Our partners and friends in the region, you know you must deliver on your commitments – starting with the necessary reforms. And in the EU, we need to prepare to welcome new members. I believe we must be ready – on both sides – by 2030 to enlarge. I know this deadline has been met with some scepticism in your region because you have been waiting for a long time.

Dear Edi, I know you have compared enlargement to a bride that never shows up to the wedding. I would like to tell you that the bride is now actively preparing the wedding. In the EU, not everyone is in favour of mentioning a date. Enlargement is and will always remain a merit-based process and putting forward a date has got the ball rolling. It is an encouragement for the Western Balkans to redouble their efforts to make the reforms that are urgent and needed, and for us on the EU side to launch this serious debate on the future of the EU. Just a few days ago, in Granada, with Prime Minister Sánchez, EU leaders held their first in-depth discussion on this topic and we agreed that we must work hard to get ready for future enlargements.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has refocused our attention on the geopolitics of enlargement and on the Western Balkans region. Now more than ever, we must stand together, to defend international law, always and everywhere, to build on what unites us and to support the people of Ukraine.

I am personally convinced that we will be stronger with you, the Western Balkans, at our heart. We will be stronger in setting global standards, cooperating with our partners, promoting our values and defending our common interests.

You have made your goal of EU membership crystal clear many times and we want you to succeed. We will support you on your road to the EU. So how can we make it happen?

First, through gradual integration into EU policies so the benefits can be felt more quickly by your people – even during the accession process. This integration could take place in different areas, especially the single market and economic cooperation. We have ambitious frameworks in place that support the alignment with the EU acquis. We should use these to phase in future member states.

Second, completing the Common Regional Market would bolster economic growth and trade in the Western Balkans and make it more attractive for investments. I am pleased that a new agreement on professional qualifications will be signed today. We are also hopeful that the three regional mobility agreements will be ratified by all countries soon, because this will benefit both the Western Balkans and the EU.

Finally, we cannot let bilateral conflicts hold us back. Resolving them could be more painful than reforms, but it must be done. Don’t let the ghosts of the past steal your future. The recent tensions between Serbia and Kosovo have again brought this to the forefront. In fact, you are walking the same path as the founding members of our Union. There is no cooperation without reconciliation. There is no stable future without reconciliation. We all know that reconciliation requires political courage and sincere focus on the future.

Focus on the future will be the spirit for the EU-Western Balkans summit that will take place soon, in December in Brussels.

Our people – especially our young people – want a brighter, more optimistic future. A future that is fair, prosperous and full of opportunities. I am certain we can make a difference. It is time to make it happen together, for the good of our entire continent. You can count on our sincere cooperation and commitment.

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/10/16/address-of-president-charles-michel-at-the-berlin-process-summit-in-tirana/