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European Commissioner for Enlargement

Member of the EU Commission

Field	Value
post	European Commissioner for Enlargement
flag	Flag of the European Union.svg
flagcaption	Flag of Europe
image	Kos EC Portrait 2024.jpg	imagesize =
incumbent	Marta Kos
incumbentsince	1 December 2024
department	European Commission
member_of	European Commission
reports_to	President of the European Commission
termlength	5 years
formation	1999
first	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.

History

Günter Verheugen (1999–2004) was the first Commissioner to hold responsibility for Enlargement. His tenure oversaw the preparations for the historic 2004 enlargement, which brought ten new countries into the European Union: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Olli Rehn (2004–2010) succeeded Verheugen, and supervised the accession of Romania and Bulgaria in 2007, the granting of candidate status to Croatia (2004) and North Macedonia (2005), and the opening of accession talks with Montenegro following its independence in 2006. He was also active in negotiations related to Turkey’s candidacy and the status of Kosovo.

Štefan Füle (2010–2014) followed Rehn. Füle’s most notable achievement was overseeing the accession of Croatia in 2013, making it the EU’s 28th member state. His mandate also placed strong emphasis on the Eastern Partnership and the EU’s relations with countries on its eastern borders.

Johannes Hahn (2014–2019) took office as the enlargement agenda slowed. During his term, accession negotiations with the Western Balkans remained the central focus, while relations with Turkey became increasingly strained.

Olivér Várhelyi (2019–2024) served during a period when the enlargement process regained strategic importance, particularly in light of geopolitical tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Under his tenure, Ukraine, Moldova, and Bosnia and Herzegovina were granted candidate status in 2022.

Marta Kos (2024–present) was appointed on 1 December 2024.

List of Commissioners

No.	Portrait	Name	Term	Party	Commission	Member state	European	National
1	[[File:Oliver Mark - Günter Verheugen, Berlin 2007.jpg	60px]]	Günter Verheugen	1999–2004	Party of European Socialists}}"		PES	Social Democratic Party of Germany}}"	SPD	Prodi
*****	[[File:Janez Potocnik, EU-kommissionar inom forskning pa Nordiska ministerradets konferens Investing in Research and Innovation - Exchanging European Experiences in a Nordic Context, Kopenhamn 2006-10-17.jpg	60px]]	Janez Potočnik	2004	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe}}"		ALDE	Liberal Democracy of Slovenia}}"	LDS	Prodi
2	[[File:Olli Rehn-2.jpg	60px]]	Olli Rehn	2004–2010	Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe}}"		ALDE	Centre Party (Finland)}}"	C	Barroso I
3	[[File:Stefan File (cropped).jpg	60px]]	Štefan Füle	2010–2014	Party of European Socialists}}"		PES	Social Democracy (Czech Republic)}}"	SOCDEM	Barroso II
4	[[File:40 years of EPP family (27305452091) (cropped).jpg	60px]]	Johannes Hahn	2014–2019	European People's Party}}"		EPP	Austrian People's Party}}"	ÖVP	Juncker
5	[[File:P059940-285661 (cropped).jpg	60px]]	Olivér Várhelyi	2019–2024	Independent**	Von der Leyen I	Hungary
6	[[File:Kos EC Portrait 2024 (cropped).jpg	60px]]	Marta Kos	2024–present	Independent	Von der Leyen II	Slovenia

Notes

References

Info: Wikipedia Source

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