The enlargement strategy of the European Union is one of the most successful tools of Community policy by strengthening stability in Hungary’s immediate neighbourhood and setting a predictable course for the development of the accession countries.

As a neighbouring country, Hungary welcomes that the Commission’s annual enlargement package published on 8 October 2014 reports that progress has been made in most of the countries involved in the enlargement process. We agree with the Commission’s approach: drawing the necessary conclusions, apart from the issues of legal certainty and economic governance, we must focus on the implementation of the reform of public services.

The accession negotiations of Serbia started in January 2014. The successful integration of the country will be decisive for the whole region. At EU forums and on a bilateral basis, by hiring experts and sharing experiences, Hungary is ready to give all the necessary assistance to Serbia to prepare for the integration.

We repeatedly congratulate Albania on gaining candidate status and express our continued support. The imminent conclusion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Kosovo is an important achievement.

We support Montenegro in pressing forward its accession negotiations. We are convinced that Montenegro’s political commitment to the success of the process has remained unchanged.

Hungary continues to support any action to accelerate Turkey’s accession negotiations and welcomes the assessment of the situation and the identification of the tasks by the Commission. We encourage the strengthening of relations between the EU and Turkey and agree with the Commission’s proposal to commence the accession negotiations with Macedonia. We hope that, following the elections, Bosnia-Herzegovina will also be actively involved in the integration process.

The serious efforts of the outgoing Commission and Commissioner Stefan Füle have enabled the enlargement policy to continue despite the unfavourable economic conditions due to the economic crisis. Hungary expects the new Commission to take proactive action and lead the enlargement policy based on a strategic approach, while monitoring the quality of the process.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)