EU Membership Application

North Macedonia’s application for EU membership was submitted on 22 March 2004.

On 9 November 2005, the Commission issued an opinion on the application from North Macedonia for membership of the European Union and recommended that North Macedonia be granted the status of candidate country.

 North Macedonia was granted EU candidate status in December 2005.

• Opinion on the Macedonia’s application for membership of the EU (EUR-Lex) 

On 18 February 2008, the Council adopted the revised Accession Partnership with North Macedonia, which identified new and remaining priorities for action, adapted to the country’s specific needs and stage of preparation.

• Accession Partnership with the Republic of North Macedonia-Council decision-18 February 2008 

The European Commission first recommended opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia in October 2009. In 2015 and 2016, the recommendation was made conditional on substantial progress in the implementation of the ‘Urgent Reform Priorities’ and the continued implementation of the Pržino agreement, a political agreement in which the main parties in North Macedonia made a commitment to respect democratic principles and agreed to establish a transitional period that would end in free and fair elections.

The Council adopted conclusions in June 2018 in which it agreed to respond positively to the progress made by North Macedonia and set out the path towards opening accession negotiations in June 2019. The Council underlined the critical need for North Macedonia to continue making concrete progress on certain key areas, such as the fight against corruption, judicial reform, intelligence and security services reform and public administration reform.

• Council conclusions on enlargement and stabilisation and association process, 26 June 2018 
• General Affairs Council, 26 June 2018

On 24 March 2020, ministers for European affairs gave their political agreement to the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. This was formally adopted by written procedure and endorsed by members of the European Council on 26 March 2020. 

• Video conference of ministers for European affairs, 24 March 2020
• Council conclusions on enlargement and stabilisation and association process, 25 March 2020
  
  
  

  Accession Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) Meetings 

  Accession negotiations take place at intergovernmental conferences (often called an ‘accession conference’) between ministers and ambassadors of the EU member states and the candidate. Negotiations cover the body of common rights and law (the ‘EU acquis’) and are divided into different chapters, or clusters of chapters, covering different policy fields. Accession conferences can be held at either ministerial or deputy level.

  On 19 July 2022, the EU held its first intergovernmental conference with North Macedonia.

  • Enlargement : Council conclusions on North Macedonia and Albania (18 July 2022) 
  • General EU position for the IGC
  • EU Common position for the First Political IGC
  Intergovernmental Conference at Ministerial level on the Accession of North Macedonia (press release, 19 July 2022)Accession Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) Meetings