No agreement among EU leaders on launching Albania, N. Macedonia membership talks

European Union leaders broke off talks without agreement early Friday on whether to launch membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia.

The two countries were expecting to receive a green light to begin negotiations on joining the bloc, a process which could take several years.

The European Commission, which supervises entry talks, insists that both have met all the criteria. The EU leaders had promised a decision on their futures by the end of October.

However, French President Emmanuel Macron is refusing to allow any new countries into the 28-nation bloc until its enlargement procedures have been improved, while the Netherlands opposes Albania’s candidacy and disputes the commission’s assessment, AP said.