The EU enlargement process has entered a new, re-energising phase after years of stalled political momentum. In the aftermath of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the shift in the Union’s geopolitical priorities has fundamentally reshaped EU accession, transforming it into a vital strategic instrument.

In 2022, the European Council endorsed the gradual integration approach for the Western Balkans—later extending it to the Eastern Trio countries—making it a central pillar of the current enlargement strategy.

While gradual integration injects much-needed dynamism into the process and allows candidate countries to reap the benefits of the EU Single Market prior to full membership, its operationalisation presents unique challenges. It currently relies on disparate legal frameworks that were negotiated at different times and for different purposes, such as the Stabilisation and Association Agreements (SAA) for the Western Balkans, and the Association Agreements/Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (AA/DCFTA) for Ukraine and Moldova.