The European Commission (EC) has emphasized that NATO and EU enlargement are two distinct processes. Dana Spinant, the official EC representative, made this statement after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan linked Sweden’s NATO membership approval to Turkey’s progress towards European integration. Spinant explained that the EU has a clearly-structured process for candidate countries to join, and all countries must strictly fulfill the conditions for membership. The next report on candidate countries will be published by the EC in October.
Erdogan had noted that almost all NATO countries are members of the EU and linked Sweden’s NATO membership approval to Turkey’s progress towards EU membership. However, Spinant clarified that NATO and EU enlargement are separate processes.
On June 28, 2022, a memorandum was signed in Madrid, allowing Finland and Sweden to join NATO. However, the Turkish parliament did not approve Sweden’s entry until it fulfills all provisions of the Madrid memorandum on combating terrorism. Finland became a member of the alliance on April 4, after the Turkish parliament approved the protocol on Finland’s accession to NATO.
While Erdogan’s comments linked Sweden’s NATO membership to Turkey’s progress towards EU membership, the EC emphasized that the two processes are separate and distinct.
