EU enlargement

Description of the programme / policy

EU integration of the Western Balkan

Main objective of the programme/policy

To prepare candidate states to join the European Union, after they have fulfilled a set of political and economic conditions.

Specific objective of the programme/policy

To set essential conditions all candidate countries must satisfy to become an EU member state, such as:

• political criteria: stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities
• economic criteria: a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces
• administrative and institutional capacity to effectively implement the EU acquis (body of common rights) and ability to take on the obligations of EU membership