On 15 February, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) officially launched its initiative to welcome civil society representatives from EU candidate countries. A total of 131 'enlargement candidate members' (ECM) were selected to make up the pool of civil society experts who will be participating in the Committee's work, thus making the EESC the first institution to open its doors to EU candidate countries.

This initiative is EESC President Oliver Röpke's political priority. It sets new standards for involving candidate countries in EU activities, facilitating their progressive and tangible integration into the EU.

The initiative was inaugurated at the EESC plenary session, where it received a warm welcome from Věra Jourová, European Commission Vice-President, Milojko Spajić, Prime Minister of Montenegro, and Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania. They were joined by civil society representatives from nine EU candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine) and by other ECMs online, all participating in an EESC plenary debate for the first time.

On this landmark occasion, President Röpke stressed: 'We cannot keep candidate countries in the waiting room any longer. This is why the EESC has decided to open its doors to candidate countries and involve their representatives – the enlargement candidate members – in our work'.

Prime Minister Spajić said: 'We highly value these aspects of gradual integration. We do not see this as a substitute for membership, but a way of preparing both the countries of the Western Balkan Region (in line with a merit-based 'regatta' approach) and the EU for integration'.

Prime Minister Rama stated: "I strongly believe that what is happening here should also happen in the EU Parliament, it should happen in the European Commission and it should happen in the European Council. This is the only way to soothe all spirits and inject a very concrete energy'.

Věra Jourová, European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency, said: "Enlargement is our mutual interest. It remains a geo-strategic investment for the Union. This is why we support the launch of today's initiative and all others that help our partner countries succeed with reform efforts that lead to a better economy and stronger democracy'.

The full list of ECMs selected for the pool is available here. (at)