European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said EU enlargement works in both directions. She stressed that candidate countries must prepare for membership, while the EU must also prepare to welcome new members.

At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama, von der Leyen said the European Commission will present its review of enlargement policies next week.

“You are preparing in Albania, but we are preparing too. Enlargement works in both directions. The EU must also be ready to welcome new members,” she said.

Next week, the Commission will review EU institutions, policies and the budget. The review will aim to ensure that the EU can handle future enlargement.

“For this reason, we will present our enlargement policy review next week. We will examine our institutions and policies. We will also review our budget to ensure that the European Union is ready to expand and welcome new members,” von der Leyen said.

In addition, the Commission will establish roadmaps for candidate countries that have made the most progress. These roadmaps will set out concrete steps toward membership while protecting democratic standards and the rule of law.

“We will also establish what we call roadmaps. They will ensure that the democratic values at the heart of the EU and the rule of law continue to guide the process,” von der Leyen said.

Meanwhile, she stressed that countries must continue to respect their commitments after joining the EU.

Addressing Rama, von der Leyen referred to his statement that the accession process would remain merit-based.

“You used the phrase that the accession process will continue to be merit-based. However, merit-based does not necessarily mean slow, especially in today’s geopolitical reality,” she said.

Therefore, the Commission will create roadmaps for the candidate countries that have made the most progress. “Albania is certainly among these countries,” von der Leyen said.

According to von der Leyen, the roadmaps will turn the path toward EU membership into concrete steps. They will also identify the remaining tasks, deadlines and next stages of the process.

“We will clarify what remains to be done, by what date, when it should happen and what comes next,” the European Commission president said.