European Commissioner for Enlargement
| European Commissioner for Enlargement | |
|---|---|
since 1 December 2024 | |
| European Commission | |
| Member of | European Commission |
| Reports to | President of the European Commission |
| Term length | 5 years |
| Formation | 1999 |
| First holder | Günter Verheugen |
The European Commissioner for Enlargement is a member of the European Commission responsible for overseeing the accession process of prospective new member states of the European Union (EU) and leading the Directorate-General for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighbourhood (DG ENEST).
As of 2025, there are nine official candidate countries for EU membership: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. In addition, Kosovo is recognized as a potential candidate. Bosnia and Herzegovina was most recently granted candidate status in December 2022.
Since 2024, the Commissioner’s responsibilities have been limited strictly to enlargement policy and the Eastern Neighbourhood, following the creation of a separate Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf (DG MENA), led by the newly created Commissioner for the Mediterranean. Previously, the role also covered relations with the EU’s southern neighbourhood through the European Neighbourhood Policy.
The current Commissioner is Marta Kos, who has held the office in the von der Leyen II Commission since 1 December 2024.