New EU Methodology and the Accession of North Macedonia and Albania

In my paper I will try to explain the new context of EU enlargement and its implication for the Western Balkans Countries within the new EU methodology of 2020. EU integration of the Western Balkans will be different compared with all previous accessions. This new context of enlargement is due to 2 new EU strategic documents: “New Methodology” of Enlargement and “Blueprint action plan for rule of law” of the European Commission. There is a new context of enlargement, where the process is becoming: more gradual, more conditional, more predictable, and reversible. New Methodology launched by EC on 5th February will also increase political weight of member states, which will be together with the Commission from the beginning of the negotiation process, could intervene in any phase and revert it. Politically, member states with get more political weight in the accession negotiation process, and technically instead of previous model of opening and closing 35 chapters, EC and member states will negotiate with candidate state, within 7 clusters which include more chapters. The Republic of North Macedonia and Albania are the first two countries, which are expected to be invited till the end of this year at the first EU inter-governmental conference, which will sign the start of accession negotiation process. But at least one year and half is needed for bilateral screening, than progress report by EC- approved by all member states, in order to start accession negotiation within the first cluster. Likely, during actual German Presidency of EU, two countries with be invited in December 2020 to inter-governmental conference, but less likely that they will start negotiations before beginning of 2022, during the French Presidency of EU. Apart from internal reform (as vertical condition), both countries are facing with external challenges, (as horizontal condition), due to possible veto of Bulgaria against North Macedonia (for the history and language); and of Greece against Albania, (for the sea border)