Today, the European Commission adopted its annual Enlargement Package, presenting a comprehensive assessment of the progress made by the enlargement partners over the past twelve months. This year’s package reaffirms that “the momentum for enlargement stands high on the priority agenda of the EU”. It also confirms that the accession of new Member States “is increasingly within reach”. Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Turkey and Georgia “continue their respective paths towards the EU”. But “the pace of their reforms, in particular in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, directly impacts the speed of accession”. Advancements that, according to the EU Commission, “benefit both aspiring Member States and current EU Member States, fostering prosperity, democracy, security and stability while unlocking new opportunities for citizens and businesses, such as strategic investments and opening of the Single Market”. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “We are more committed than ever to turning EU enlargement into a reality. Because a larger Union means a stronger and more influential Europe on the global stage. But it must and will remain a merit-based process. Our package provides specific recommendation to all our partners”.