Enlargement Package 2026: Brussels Meets the Western Balkans

The long-awaited annual reports on the state of preparedness and progress in the Western Balkan countries were released on 4 November. Just a day later, CEP hosted a webinar focused on unpacking the Enlargement Package 2026.

By organising this discussion immediately after the publication of the reports, CEP maintained its tradition of creating a timely and constructive platform for dialogue with the European Commission – enabling direct engagement on the findings of the Enlargement Package.

The webinar featured Thomas Hagleitner, Head of Unit for Enlargement Strategy and Coordination (DG ENEST, European Commission), as the keynote speaker.

As in previous years, the webinar also featured perspectives from Western Balkan capitals, thanks to interventions by our regional partners from the Think for Europe Network (TEN), offering a comprehensive and comparative view of how this year’s Enlargement Package was perceived both in Brussels and across the Western Balkans.

Webinar Structure

• Keynote Address by Thomas Hagleitner (DG ENEST): Presented the key priorities and challenges shaping the 2026 Enlargement Package, with insights into how these could influence the future direction of EU enlargement.
• Welcome Note by Srđan Majstorović (President of CEP’s Governing Board): The intervention briefly outlined the wider, regional perspective of the Enlargement Package and set the tone for the subsequent unpacking of national reports.
• Regional Partners’ Perspectives:
  • Djego Abedinaj, Researcher, Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM-Tirana)
  • Haris Ćutahija, Director, Foreign Policy Initiative BH (FPI-Sarajevo)
  • Ema Pula, Programme Manager, Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS-Pristina)
  • Marko Sošić, Programme Director, Institute Alternative (IA-Podgorica)
  • Ardita Abazi Imeri, Programme Director, European Policy Institute (EPI-Skopje)
  • Milena Mihajlović Denić, Programme Director, European Policy Centre (CEP-Belgrade)

The full webinar recording is available here.