1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
PoliticsEurope

EU enlargement: Who's slowing? Who's advancing? Who's next?

04:06

This browser does not support the video element.

June 5, 2026

Ten countries would like to join the European Union. Each is at a very different stage in the integration process. DW takes a look at these 10 countries and explores what the EU is doing to help them progress.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 pushed the issue of EU enlargement back up the agenda of the European Union.

Ten countries have applied for membership of the bloc. Nine have official candidate status. Each is moving toward EU membership at a different speed.

Who is next in line to accede to the union? Has any country's progress stalled? And what is the EU actively doing to help these countries along the path to accession?

Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW

More stories from DW