Schuman: Ursula von der Leyen and Marta Kos will host the second EU Enlargement Forum in Brussels on 15 and 16 November 2026, the Commission announced on 13 November. The meeting brings candidate country leaders, EU ministers, business figures and civil society together to test how fast a merit-based accession process can move.
The EU Enlargement Forum runs under the title “Wider Europe – Stronger Europe”. Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić will share the first panel, called “Delivering on Enlargement”, on Monday morning.
Von der Leyen will open the flagship day with a keynote, followed by Finnish President Alexander Stubb. European Council President António Costa will give the closing address before Kos wraps up the two days. Sunday evening starts with an invitation-only reception and a concert by the Western Balkan Youth Orchestra.
The Commission frames the gathering as a political checkpoint after a busy autumn. Participants will discuss the 2026 Enlargement Package, the indicative roadmaps for Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine presented earlier in November, and the Communication “Preparing for a wider Europe”.
On the forum page, von der Leyen sets out the message she wants partners to hear. “Enlargement is a geostrategic imperative for us and a long-term investment in our peace, stability and security,” she said, adding that “merit-based does not mean slow. It means fair and predictable.”
Kos goes further on the pace of change. “We have made more progress on enlargement this year than in any year since 2002,” the Commissioner said, arguing that the time has come for the Union to prepare itself for new members.
The afternoon panel, “Getting Ready for a Larger Union”, turns the question back on the member states. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, French Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad, Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares will debate how the bloc must adapt its budget, voting and policies.
Hungary’s seat on that panel matters. Budapest has repeatedly slowed accession steps for Ukraine, and any reform of internal decision-making would need unanimous backing from the 27 capitals.
Money and markets get their own slot at the EU Enlargement Forum. North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski joins Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño, Irish Europe Minister Thomas Byrne and MEP Thijs Reuten for a panel on reforms, investment and growth. A separate dialogue led by CEPS chief executive Karel Lannoo will examine the business case for enlargement and the readiness of candidate firms for the Single Market.
Security also features. Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius will speak on enlargement and security late on Monday, reflecting the argument in Brussels that a larger Union strengthens the continent against Russian pressure. Parallel sessions cover reconciliation in the Western Balkans and the role of local authorities and civil society.
The Commission announcement says the event will look at how reforms, investment and growth can drive a merit-based process and contribute to European security and resilience. The full speaker list and timetable appear on the official forum programme.
The Commission launched the EU Enlargement Forum in 2025 to give enlargement a regular political stage outside formal accession conferences. Since then, Montenegro and Albania have advanced through negotiating chapters, while Moldova and Ukraine have pushed to open clusters despite Hungarian objections.
Several open questions hang over the second EU Enlargement Forum. Leaders still disagree on whether the EU should reform its treaties before admitting new members, how to phase candidates into EU programmes, and how the 2028-2034 budget should finance a wider Union. Observers will watch whether the EU Enlargement Forum produces concrete timelines or mainly reaffirms the political commitment to a larger Union.
