The European Commission has just presented its annual assessment of the European Union’s enlargement agenda. It outlines the state of preparations, the challenges ahead and the way forward for the Western Balkans, Turkey and Iceland.

The EU’s enlargement policy provides an excellent example of how we can turn serious challenges on our doorstep into opportunities for a more secure and prosperous Europe.

Consider the Western Balkans. Ten years ago, the region most likely featured on the pages of this paper. But the context could hardly have been more different. At the time, the news was about accommodating war refugees and containing violent conflicts. The images were of devastation. Today, luckily, the Western Balkans is much less likely to feature on the front page and news coming from the region is often considered boring. Because, more often than not, it is good news.

The countries of the region are consolidating peace and stability. The EU has given the region the perspective of membership, offering a better, European future. As a result, fresh and forward looking topics are on today’s agenda of EU-Balkans relations. Jointly, we are enhancing regional cooperation, improving judicial networks and planning pan-European transport projects.

Consider Turkey, which is playing an ever more important role as an economic and regional power. Turkey’s accession process can add both to the EU’s weight in world affairs as well as its own, not least in the Middle East and in the Caucasus. At the same time, Turkey is taking steps in the right direction domestically by strengthening democracy, for example through recent constitutional reform.

Or take Iceland, which one year ago was one of the countries in the world most severely affected by the financial crisis. Now that Iceland is setting out on the path of recovery, a new perspective has arisen for Europe. The country has applied for Union membership and accession negotiations have been opened. This underlines the attractiveness of our stability and our solidarity. For the EU, it is also a chance to address energy, environmental and marine issues in the Arctic and the Atlantic, together with our most north-westerly European neighbour.

The enlargement process offers great potential to help the EU address its Europe2020 agenda, devised to deal with the global challenges we face. Realising this potential is far from automatic. For the aspiring countries, the tough preparations for membership require a process of profound reform and reorientation. It is this very process that enabled countries to be prepared for the challenges they will face on membership. Malta is a great example of this. It had a very intense debate prior to membership. The road was not easy. A number of reforms had to be undertaken, which, sometimes, meant hardships for those involved. Today, however, the successes are there to see. In less than three years, post membership Malta was in a position to adopt the euro. Today, the very sectors that were threatened by membership are flourishing and the Maltese are active and relevant contributors to the European project.

Further EU enlargement, however, still faces many challenges. Post-conflict reconciliation, the rule of law and the fight against corruption need to be further strengthened in the Western Balkans. Turkey needs to continue the significant reforms it is undergoing and normalise its relations with Cyprus. The list goes on. Given the potential gains, it is a list of issues worth settling.

The EU’s commitment to the enlargement process reflects the member states’ conviction that enlargement is in our mutual interest. The perspective of EU membership provides a country with a unique incentive for economic and political reform. The enlargement process is part of the solution to many of our citizens’ concerns, whether in the prevention of organised crime and corruption or in the generation of growth and jobs. By making a success of enlargement today, the EU will be able to better address the many challenges it faces tomorrow.

The European Commission on Tuesday adopted its Enlargement Package, covering the enlargement strategy for the Western Balkans, Turkey and Iceland.

Mr Füle is European Commissioner for Enlargement and Mr Dalli is European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy.