TY - RPRT A1 - Shahini, Besa T1 - Towards Enlargement - How to Rebuild Trust in the EU Accession Process N2 - EU enlargement has historically fostered economic growth and political stability. In the Western Balkans, however, the process has stalled for many years due to the myriad crises afflicting the EU and failure to deliver reforms in the Western Balkans. This policy brief examines the evolution of the EU accession process, the challenges faced by candidate countries, and the need for a revitalized approach that builds reforms into the accession process rather than keep them a precondition for kickstarting it. It calls for the EU to remove bilateral disputes from the process and open accession talks with all candidate countries in all areas covered by the acquis, ensuring that all candidate countries have a fair chance based on their merits. Y1 - 2024 UR - https://www.delorscentre.eu/en/publications/detail/publication/towards-enlargement-how-to-rebuild-trust-in-the-eu-accession-process ER -