The Directorate General
The Directorate General
The mission of the Directorate General for Enlargement is to:
- manage the process whereby countries join the European Union, under the guidance of the Commissioner for Enlargement.
- assist candidate countries and potential candidates in meeting the "Copenhagen criteria" – defined by the Treaty and the European Council – and monitor their progress.
- define and implement the EU's stabilisation and association policy in the Western Balkans.
- manage the EU's bilateral relations with candidate countries and potential candidates.
- address issues resulting from the accession of Cyprus to the EU as a divided island.
- manage the bulk of the EU’s financial assistance to candidate countries and potential candidates, as well as to new member countries during a transition period following accession.
- manage the Commission’s information and communication policy relating to enlargement in candidate countries and potential candidates.
DG Enlargement is based in Brussels and has approximately 900 staff members in Brussels and in the EU Delegations in 'enlargement countries', working under the political authority of Commissioner Štefan Füle and managed by Director General Stefano Sannino.
