On 21 and 22 June 2023, in Stockholm, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gunda Reire, attended the informal meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union (EU), where the first ministerial-level discussions were launched on possible EU adjustments and the EU’s capacity to welcome new Member States (absorption capacity).
The Parliamentary Secretary stressed the need first to agree on the enlargement of the EU by inviting Ukraine to start negotiations and then, if necessary, to decide on the EU’s institutional adjustment. She noted the importance of a clear timeframe for EU enlargement.
“It is vital for us that the EU remains a union based on values with high standards of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. As the EU expands, and in view of Russia’s war in Ukraine, compliance with these standards is particularly important today and in future,” Gunda Reire underlined at the meeting.
At the informal meeting, the European Commission (EC) presented an oral report to the Member States on the state of play with reforms in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia in relation to their progress towards accession to the EU. Latvia welcomes the oral report from the EC, and notes a positive outlook at the forthcoming official EC report on the accession countries, which the EC intends to publish in autumn 2023.
Background information
One of the 27 Member States presides over the EU Council every six months. Sweden holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 January to 30 June 2023.
There are currently eight candidates for EU membership: Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Turkey. Ukraine and Moldova were granted EU candidate status at the European Council of 23 and 24 June 2022, while Georgia was given the European perspective at the present European Council.
Photo: Josefine Stenersen/Goverment Offices