Enlargement to the east

These countries are annoyed in the EU waiting room

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in accession negotiations with the EU for many years.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Adem ALTAN)

Twenty years ago, the EU was enlarged by ten countries amid much criticism and skeptical looks. Other countries such as Albania, North Macedonia and Ukraine are now seeking to join the European alliance. Krone+ took a look at the criteria to be met, why accession has been denied for 19 years and who benefits from it.

It is now 31 years since the then EU member states agreed on a list of criteria for new members in Denmark. The Copenhagen criteria were refined in subsequent years and now include three main criteria that candidate countries must fulfill: