President-elect of the European Council, Portugal’s former prime minister António Costa, declared today that there is a “geopolitical urgent need” to fulfil the enlargement of the European Union (EU) and called for it to be done “without artificial deadlines” and “undue obstacles”. During a speech to mark the “passing of the baton” between Charles Michel and himself, Costa said that there is a “geopolitical urgent need to reflect on the enlargement” of the EU bloc to other countries. “Enlargement is a powerful instrument of peace, security and prosperity. So let’s use it”, he said. Which is a very different tune to the one he pedalled when prime minister, warning only two years ago that “with the current institutional structure, with the current budgetary architecture, the European Union is not in a position to meet the expectations it is now creating for Ukraine and other countries which have applied for membership”.
EU enlargement is ‘geopolitical urgency’ – president-elect Costa changes tune
