On the 2025 Commission report on North Macedonia

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the 2025 Commission report on North Macedonia

(2025/2254(INI))

– having regard to the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of North Macedonia, of the other part,

– having regard to North Macedonia’s application for membership of the European Union, submitted on 22 March 2004,

– having regard to the European Council decision of 16 December 2005 to grant North Macedonia EU candidate country status,

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1529 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 September 2021 establishing the Instrument for Pre-Accession assistance (IPA III),

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans,

– having regard to the Reform Agenda of North Macedonia as approved by the Commission under the Reform and Growth Facility on 23 October 2024,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 February 2020 entitled ‘Enhancing the accession process – A credible EU perspective for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2020)0057),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 November 2023 entitled ‘New growth plan for the Western Balkans’ (COM(2023)0691),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 20 March 2024 on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (COM(2024)0146),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 8 July 2025 entitled ‘2025 Rule of Law Report’ (COM(2025)0900), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘2025 Rule of Law Report – Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in North Macedonia’ (SWD(2024)0930),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 4 November 2025 entitled ‘2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2025)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘North Macedonia 2025 Report’ (SWD(2025)0753),

– having regard to the declaration of the EU-Western Balkans summit held in Brussels on 17 December 2025,

– having regard to the final report of 23 September 2024 of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Election Observation Mission on North Macedonia’s presidential election on 24 April 2024 and parliamentary elections on 8 May 2024,

– having regard to the joint recommendations adopted at the 24th meeting of the EU-North Macedonia Joint Parliamentary Committee, held on 26 and 27 November 2025 in Strasbourg,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on North Macedonia, and in particular its resolution of 24 October 2019 on opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania,

– having regard to the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, signed on 1 August 2017 and ratified in January 2018,

– having regard to the Final Agreement for the Settlement of the Differences as described in UN Security Council resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993), the termination of the Interim Accord of 1995, and the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Greece and North Macedonia on 17 June 2018, also known as the Prespa Agreement,

– having regard to the Third UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names in 1977,

– having regard to the Post-monitoring dialogue with North Macedonia and the respective report adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on 8 January 2026,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2026),

A. whereas North Macedonia has held EU candidate country status since 2005 and successfully completed the screening process in December 2023;

B. whereas North Macedonia’s strategic commitment to EU accession and the national consensus among political parties are unwavering, and the support among citizens remains high;

C. whereas the EU enlargement policy remains a strategic investment in peace, stability and prosperity on the European continent, and the credibility of the accession process depends on strict conditionality and fair treatment of candidate countries;

D. whereas the European Parliament has consistently supported North Macedonia’s European perspective while underlining the need for sustained reforms and the fulfilment of agreed commitments;

E. whereas political polarisation, limited cross-party cooperation and reduced public trust in institutions continue to affect reform delivery;

F. whereas North Macedonia has made measurable progress on the implementation of its Reform Agenda;

1. Reiterates its full support for North Macedonia’s dedication for EU membership, based on clear and measurable progress and strict but fair conditionality;

2. Notes that the reform momentum requires renewed political commitment, including for the necessary constitutional amendments, constructive cross-party cooperation and effective parliamentary oversight;

3. Urges the European Council to signal, publicly and unequivocally, that the Council intends to swiftly and unconditionally take the positive decision to enter into the next phase of accession negotiations with North Macedonia once the conditions of its conclusions of 18 July 2022 have been fulfilled;

4. Commends the commitment of the Macedonian citizens to EU integration and the support they show to this project two decades on from starting the process; calls to use gradual integration in as many areas as possible to allow Macedonian citizens to benefit from EU integration already before accession;

5. Recalls that bilateral disputes between countries should be addressed through open dialogue and genuine cooperation outside of the accession process;

6. Welcomes the stability of interethnic relations and the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement and calls on all actors to preserve the integrity of the country;

Functioning of democratic institutions

7. Notes that, while democratic institutions in North Macedonia function satisfactorily, political polarisation persists and delays much needed reforms and appointments; regrets that no attempts were made to adopt the constitutional changes needed to unblock the opening of the ‘fundamentals’ cluster;

8. Underlines that parliamentary oversight of the executive should be further strengthened and calls for enhanced scrutiny mechanisms;

9. Notes that a comprehensive electoral reform is still overdue; reiterates its call for the implementation of the outstanding recommendations made by the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission; calls, furthermore, for more transparency regarding the financing of political parties and political advertising;

10. Recognises that moderate progress has been achieved in public administration reform and digital transformation; notes, however, that further efforts are needed, including reforms of local self-government;

Media and civil society

11. Welcomes the fact that North Macedonia provides adequate legal guarantees on the freedom of expression; notes, however, the need for further improvement towards a truly enabling environment for free and independent media;

12. Notes with concern the increasing concentration of media ownership; calls for stronger safeguards for editorial independence, transparent state advertising practices and protection of journalists;

13. Expresses concern regarding disinformation campaigns which call into question democratic values and the country’s goal of EU membership;

14. Welcomes the generally enabling environment for civil society organisations, while underlining the need to have civil society more involved in priority areas and public consultations; calls for transparent public funding for civil society organisations;

Fundamental rights

15. Notes that the general framework for fundamental rights is broadly satisfactory; calls, however, on the Macedonian Government to improve the legal and institutional framework on gender equality and on combating gender-based and domestic violence;

16. Underlines the need to continue working to improve the situation of non-majority communities, including with regard to the use of languages, as well as to fight discrimination and promote diversity;

17. Notes with concern that hardly any progress has been achieved on reducing the barriers persons with disabilities face in most aspects of life;

18. Calls for the legal protection of the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons to be improved and hate speech against the community be addressed;

Rule of law

19. Expresses concern that the judicial system, independence of courts and prosecution, and efforts to strengthen the rule of law and anti-corruption frameworks have not advanced sufficiently;

20. Notes with concern that no progress was made in preventing and combating corruption and that corruption remains prevalent in many areas;

21. Calls in particular for investigations and final convictions in high-level corruption cases which could serve as an example that corruption is being addressed at all levels and that there shall be no impunity;

Socio-economic reforms

22. Supports continued efforts to modernise the economy, address skills mismatches, strengthen the digital economy and improve the business environment;

23. Welcomes the first steps in implementing the Reform Agenda and the multiannual work programme under the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans;

24. Calls to continue implementing labour market activation strategies for young people, the long-term unemployed, low-skilled individuals, and vulnerable groups;

25. Welcomes the integration of North Macedonia in the single euro payments area (SEPA);

Environment, biodiversity, energy and transport

26. Calls for increased investments in transport and energy infrastructure and in advancing to bring environmental legislation closer to EU standards;

27. Highlights the importance of cross-border connections such as the TEN-T corridors VIII and X;

28. Welcomes the adoption of the Energy Law in May 2025 but underlines that the country is still heavily dependent on coal; calls for a swift uptake of renewable energy and increased focus on energy efficiency;

29. Regrets that little process has been made in environmental legislation and calls in particular to address air and water quality and wastewater management;

Regional cooperation and foreign policy

30. Welcomes North Macedonia’s valuable and significant contributions to regional cooperation and stability;

31. Calls for consistent commitment to dialogue and cooperation with neighbouring countries to strengthen regional stability and foster mutual trust; calls for the further promotion of people-to-people contacts across south-eastern Europe;

32. Commends North Macedonia’s strong alignment with the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy; calls, however, on the government, in cases of doubt, to align with the majority position within the EU;

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33. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the relevant EU institutions, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the President, Government and Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This year, I have the honour of presenting my second country report on North Macedonia. The report seeks to provide a balanced and objective assessment of the country’s progress in the accession process and, as per established practice, comes in response to the Commission’s 2025 Enlargement Package.

North Macedonia currently finds itself in a difficult position, as the accession process remains at a standstill:

Despite some positive reform steps, progress on the EU reform agenda - particularly in key areas such as the rule of law, judicial reform, and the fight against corruption - has been insufficient. This is attributable to the election campaign, limited capacities within the public administration, and a lack of sustained political commitment.

No progress has been made on the constitutional amendments, due to concerns about potential additional bilateral blockades or demands from its neighbouring country. There is an urgent need for increased political will on both sides to move beyond this impasse.

However, at a time of major shifts in the international order as Europe has known it - notably linked to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, unprecedented uncertainty surrounding the future of the transatlantic alliance, and broader threats to the rules-based international order - it is essential that Europe stands together. There is no room for ambiguity.

Against this geopolitical backdrop, opportunities may arise to reinvigorate and accelerate the accession process. That process will, in any scenario, remain merit-based and firmly grounded in progress on the fundamentals, particularly the rule of law. It is therefore essential that all political stakeholders in North Macedonia, notably the Government and Members of Parliament of the ruling majority, recognise this renewed sense of urgency and start delivering tangible, convincing, and genuine results in these core areas without any further delay.

Advancing reforms in the rule of law is not only decisive for moving closer to EU membership; it is equally vital for building a prosperous and resilient state that serves all its citizens. A functioning rule of law and a predictable, trustworthy investment climate are prerequisites for sustainable economic development. It will also enable the country and its citizens to fully benefit from gradual integration schemes and projects offered by the European Union.

At the same time, the EU and its Member States must also deliver. We must fully support the country, including through active diplomatic engagement to help North Macedonia making progress on its own commitments and overcome existing obstacles.

As for this House, and as in the previous reporting period, I remain committed to fostering a stable, constructive, pro-European, pro-democratic, and pro-enlargement majority in support of North Macedonia’s EU accession. I look forward to securing the backing of all Members who share this strategic objective.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that he included in his report input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the draft report, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

European Commission, DG ENEST

EU Delegation in North Macedonia, EEAS

Austrian Embassy in North Macedonia

Bulgarian Embassy in North Macedonia

Balkan Investigative Network

Association of Journalists of North Macedonia

European Policy Centre Skopje

Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik

Metamorphosis Foundation

European Policy Institute

Institute for Democracy ‘Societas Civilis’

Open Society Foundations

ELIAMEP

Romalitico

Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation

Organization of Women Sveti Nikole

HA Majka, Kumanovo

ESE Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women

Reactor - Research in Action

Coalition Margins

Sida waste management project

Bulgarian community representatives in North Macedonia

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

Government representatives of North Macedonia

Members of the Macedonian Assembly

Party members of ruling majority and opposition parties

Municipal government of Suto Orizari

U.S. Embassy in North Macedonia

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.