European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

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The Commissioner for Enlargement is the member of the European Commission in charge of overseeing the accession process of prospective new member states and relations with those bordering the European Union (EU). The present commissioner, since December 2024, is Marta Kos.

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Currently there are eight candidate countries, namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Two countries are recognised as potential candidates, namely Georgia and Kosovo. [1] Candidate status was most recently granted to Bosnia and Herzegovina in December 2022, [2] and a so-called "European Perspective" recognising a country as a potential candidate to Georgia in June 2022. [3] Neighbourhood Policy is directed towards the western Balkans, those countries on the EU's eastern borders, often referred to as the Eastern Partnership or the accession trio, and on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, referred to as the Southern Neighbourhood and often engaged with in the format of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Rehn

Olli Rehn became a European commissioner in 2004, following the enlargement to 10 new countries. In 2007 he oversaw the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union. In 2004, candidate status was granted to Croatia. In 2005, candidate status was granted to Macedonia.

As commissioner, Rehn was involved with the enlargement to the western Balkans and Turkey, encouraging reform on those countries. 2006 saw the independence of Montenegro and separate accession talks starting with it.

In 2007 he welcomed the United Nations proposal on Kosovo by Martti Ahtisaari which advocated for near-independence to the region and separate accession negotiations with the European Union.

The then-commissioner had also been involved in the reunification of Cyprus, bringing Northern Cyprus to the European Union. Rehn's head of cabinet was Timo Pesonen and his deputy head was Maria Åsenius.

Füle

Croatia acceded to the Union in 2013.

List of commissioners

The enlargement portfolio began to be created out of the regionalised foreign policy posts. In particular the Santer Commission post for relations with central and eastern Europe as those countries began applying to join. The Neighbourhood Policy element was created in 2004 as part of the External Relations portfolio. When that portfolio was absorbed by the High Representative in 2009, Neighbourhood Policy was transferred to Trade and then to Enlargement in 2010 under the Second Barroso Commission.

CommissionerCountryPeriodPartyCommission
Oliver Mark - Gunter Verheugen, Berlin 2007.jpg Günter Verheugen Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
1999–2004
PES Prodi Commission
Janez Potocnik, EU-kommissionar inom forskning pa Nordiska ministerradets konferens Investing in Research and Innovation - Exchanging European Experiences in a Nordic Context, Kopenhamn 2006-10-17.jpg Janez Potočnik Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia
2004
ALDE Prodi Commission
Olli Rehn-2.jpg Olli Rehn Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
2004–2010
ALDE Barroso Commission
Stefan File (cropped).jpg Štefan Füle Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
2010–2014
PES Barroso Commission
40 years of EPP family (27305452091) (cropped).jpg Johannes Hahn Flag of Austria.svg  Austria
2014–2019
EPP Juncker Commission
P059940-285661 (cropped).jpg Olivér Várhelyi Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
2019–2024
EPP Von der Leyen Commission
Kos EC Portrait 2024 (cropped).jpg Marta Kos Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia
2024–present
Independent Von der Leyen Commission

See also

References

  1. "EU membership, how to join, candidates| European Union". european-union.europa.eu. Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  2. "European Council conclusions, 15 December 2022". European Council. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  3. "European Council conclusions, 23-24 June 2022". European Council. Retrieved 25 January 2023.