As agreed by the governments of the EU Member States, coming together in the European Council, the EU perspective is extended to:

• countries in South East Europe - Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo under UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and
• Turkey.

In addition, Iceland applied for EU membership in July 2009, and in 2010 the European Commission published its opinion on the country's ability to assume the obligations of EU membership and on the opening of accession negotiations, subject to a unanimous decision by the Council of the European Union.

Through carefully managed enlargement process membership will only happen when the necessary requirements are met. The 1992 Maastricht Treaty says (in Article 49) that any European state which respects the principles of liberty, democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law may apply to join the Union.
Further clarification came when EU government heads at a meeting in Copenhagen in 1993 laid down the basic conditions for membership, which were strengthened in Madrid in 1995. To join the EU, a new Member State must meet three criteria:

• political: stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
• economic: existence of a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union;
• acceptance of the Community acquis: ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.

At present, there are three candidate countries, Croatia, Turkey and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Others are potential candidates. The EU has established a process with all the countries of the Western Balkans known as the Stabilisation and Association process - which aims to bring them progressively closer to the EU. Thanks to this process, these countries already enjoy free access to the EU single market for practically all their exports, as well as EU financial support for their reform efforts. Through a free trade area with the EU and the associated disciplines (competition and state aid rules, intellectual property etc) and benefits (e.g. rights of establishment), and through reforms designed to achieve the adoption of EU standards, this process is allowing the economies of the region to begin to integrate with that of the EU.

Each year the European Commission adopts its annual strategy document explaining its policy on EU enlargement. The document also includes a summary of the progress made over the last twelve months by each candidate and potential candidate. Progress reports are issued every year, and the latest news in the enlargement process can be followed country-by-country.