(EU Enlargement Package banner, fair use)
The European Union wants to expand.
Yesterday while the media tended to focus on certain elections in the USA, the EU approved its 2025 EU Enlargement Package:
5 November 2025
The European Commission has released its annual enlargement report and there’s movement on Europe’s waiting list. Ten countries are officially candidates to join the EU: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Turkey, and Ukraine. …
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said that admitting new countries by 2030 is a “realistic goal”. And Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also stressed that expansion is linked to geopolitical stability …
The EU is considering procedural adjustments to avoid single-country vetoes blocking technical steps in accession. Discussions are also ongoing about internal EU reforms, potentially including changes to voting rules on foreign policy and future budget adjustments.
And it looks like progress will depend on two factors: the candidate countries’ ability to continue implementing reforms, and the political will of EU member states to approve expansion. https://euobserver.com/eu-and-the-world/arad620f0e
4 November 2025
Today, the European Commission adopted its annual Enlargement Package, presenting a comprehensive assessment of the progress made by the enlargement partners over the past twelve months. This year’s package reaffirms that the momentum for enlargement stands high on the priority agenda of the EU. It also confirms that the accession of new Member States is increasingly within reach.
Staying consistent and following a merit-based approach is key to successful EU accession. Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, … continue their respective paths towards the EU. The pace of their reforms, in particular in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights, directly impacts the speed of accession. These advancements benefit both aspiring Member States and current EU Member States, fostering prosperity, democracy, security and stability while unlocking new opportunities for citizens and businesses, such as strategic investments and opening of the Single Market.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission said: “We are more committed than ever to turning EU enlargement into a reality. Because a larger Union means a stronger and more influential Europe on the global stage. But enlargement is a merit-based process. Our package provides specific recommendations to all our partners. And to all of them we say: EU accession is a unique offer. A promise of peace, prosperity and solidarity. With the right reforms and a strong political will, our partners can seize this opportunity.”
The assessments, accompanied by recommendations and guidance on the reform priorities, provide a roadmap for enlargement partners toward EU membership. The Commission remains fully committed to supporting future Member States in this journey. Gradual integration of the aspiring Members into the Single Market strengthens ties with the Union already before their accession. Significant progress has been achieved over the past year. …
Each enlargement has made our Union stronger. When ten countries joined the EU in 2004, it marked the Union’s largest ever expansion. In the two decades since, newcomers have seen living standards double, unemployment fall by nearly half, life expectancy rise from 75 to 79 years, poverty and social exclusion drop sharply, and 6 million new jobs created. For the existing members, trade has multiplied more than fivefold ever since, while 20 million jobs have also been created. https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/georgia/2025-enlargement-package-shows-progress-towards-eu-membership-key-enlargement-partners_en?s=221
Another enlargement-related move was that in 2025 Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Moldova all joined the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) which is involved with cross-border use of the Euro (see SEPA and BRICS+ pushing against US dollar dominance–might the Euro rise to dominance?).
The EU wants to be more powerful in the world geopolitically and economically. It wants to dominate trade, which the Bible points to it doing (cf. Revelation 17 & 18).
Another reason for expansion is to make up for the losses in the populations of most of the European Union nations as well as aging:
Europe is getting older: Can enlargement bring new life to the EU?
4 November 2025
The European Union’s population will shrink by one-third by the end of the century without migration, losing the equivalent of 1 million workers annually in the next 25 years as Italy and Spain face looming population collapse, latest data shows.
According to Eurostat’s official projections, the EU’s population will shrink by around 9% by 2050 compared with 2025 if migration ceases entirely. The decline is forecast to continue in the following decades, reaching 23% by 2075 and 34% by 2100. …
Several studies have explored how possible EU enlargement could help address projected labour shortages. The European Commission notes that the historic 2004 enlargement known as the “Big Bang” brought significant benefits and strong economic growth to both the new member states and the EU as a whole. …
Eurostat projections show clearly that EU member states are set to experience a steep population decline in the decades leading up to 2100.
If there are 100 people in the EU in 2025, that number would fall to 91 by 2050, 77 by 2075, and just 66 by 2100, if there is no migration. In other words, one in three people would disappear over the next 75 years. …
In general, EU candidate countries have younger populations than the Union average, … They noted that the region’s ageing population poses serious challenges to labour force expansion and, consequently, to economic growth. https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/11/04/europe-is-getting-older-can-enlargement-bring-new-life-to-the-eu
A recent poll showed that most Europeans are supportive of EU expansion:
Attitudes towards EU Enlargement
56% of EU citizens are in favour of further EU enlargement. Support is particularly high among young people: around two-thirds of respondents aged 15 to 39 believe the (potential) candidates should join the EU once they meet the necessary conditions. …
At the same time, respondents express concerns about potential future EU enlargement, the most mentioned being uncontrolled migration (40%), corruption and crime (39%), and the financial cost to European tax payers (37%). https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3413 accessed 10/30/25
An enlarged European Union means more people, more economic strength, more power in international trade, and less need to heed the United States of America. So, yes, expect more enlargement. Enlargement of the European Union is consistent with biblical prophecies (Daniel 8:9-12; Revelation 13:1-5, 17:1-2, 18:3,11), hence we will see Europe expand.
Europe wants to expand. That will be a factor in its coming, prophesied reorganization as expansion pressures tend to increase bureaucracy–enough so that support will build for a totalitarian leader–which will happen per Revelation 17:12-13.
Currently, four nations in the Balkan peninsula are in the European Union: Slovenia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Croatia (five if Romania is considered part of that peninsula).
Many EU leaders wants the rest of the Balkan nations as well. Notice something from this past Spring:
The enlargement to the Western Balkans is widely considered a key foreign policy tool and strategic priority in the EU as a whole, to the point that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen referred it as “reunification of Europe” in her last State of the Union speech. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/11/03/taking-the-pulse-of-eu-enlargement-at-the-euronews-summit-newsletter
Reunification of Europe?
Basically the only times Europe was unified was under ancient Rome and the so-called ‘Holy Roman Empire.’
Let me add that last Fall, the Chancellor of Germany stated, “The European Union is only complete with the Western Balkans as part of it.” Expansion of the European Union is the plan as confirmed by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (see EU meets with Balkan leaders on the hope of expansion at Berlin Process Summit 2024).
This past Spring it was reported: EU leaders still eye Balkans for geography, minerals, and military reasons.
Most of the nations in the Western Balkan region have waited for a long time to be in the EU, and many expected that process would be completed–or at least much further along than it is by now.
Probably at least partially because of the delays to get into the EU, Serbia has made deals with Russia and the Russian-dominated Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) (e.g. Iran praises Eurasian Economic Union, Serbia enters its deal with the EAEU, and China’s connection: Is the time of the Gentiles approaching?) as well as China (see China’s President says relationship with Serbia is ‘Ironclad’).
The EU wants the Balkans, not only because they are part of Europe but because they do not want Serbia to remain an ally of Russia. The ethnic Serbs (which are also in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina), fought against the Axis powers (which included Germany, Bulgaria, and Italy) in WWII. The Germans would prefer to have some control over Serbia itself and do not want to fight the Serbs in the future. Serbia, itself, took another step towards the EU last year when it elected to purchase military planes from France instead of Russia (https://www.ft.com/content/fa26d185-6b54-481a-b5b8-1ff41a0ab724). The EU also wants rare earth and other minerals in the Western Balkans.
There are divisions among the EU states about expansion and many other issues. Of course, division in Europe was prophesied as the following in the Book of Daniel shows:
41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. (Daniel 2:41-43)
However, Daniel also prophesied that the European Beast power will expand to the south and the east:
9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. (Daniel 8:9-12).
And while the above had a past fulfillment, this prophecy seems to be dual (compare with Daniel 11:27-39). The European Union has mainly expanded south and east of the Benelux nations (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)–which is where it initially formed.
The Balkans are south and east of the Benelux nations.
Currently, approximately 450 million people are now under a new, single (though not completely united) government, called the European Union, headquartered in Brussels.
The European Union currently has 27 member states. If you were to add the six Western Balkan areas that want to be in, plus Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, that brings the total to 36. Plus there is Turkey who wants to join, but that is another matter.
Now there are groups (such as PCG and LCG) that tend to insist that the final European Beast power will only have ten or eleven nations. They look to be wrong, and thus look to be caught off guard unexpectedly (cf. Luke 21:34) if the final Beast power has more than 11 nations (See also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).
In the old Radio Church of God, the late evangelist Dr. Hoeh taught that this little horn of Daniel 8 was the power that would become the final King of the North:
Turn in your Bible to verse 9: “And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.” …
The King of the North
The little horn in Daniel 8 is none other than the LAST KING of one of the four divisions of Alexander’s Empire. He is, in fact, the final “King of the North” described in Daniel 11. (Hoeh H. The 2300 Days. Plain Truth, August 1965)
The European Union has demonstrated a history and willingness to enlarge–and it is interested in the Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia.
Items related to the ‘little horn’, Russia, the Balkan nations, the EU, and the Beast were discussed in the following sermon:
1:00:37The Bible tells of a time when the Anglo-American order will be temporarily replaced by a new world order that will be dominated by a European power called the Beast of the Sea. This will be primarily a Caucasian Gentile power, with support of some with Israelitish heritage. In this sermon, Dr. Thiel goes over nearly all the nations in Europe and ties them in with progenitors listed in the Bible.
Here is a link to the sermon: Gentile European Beast.
Of course even now, not all in the Balkans, Moldova, and Georgia want to be part of the European Union. Some prefer to be in Russia’s Eurasian Union (though this is likely diminishing because of Russia’s ‘special military operation’ into Ukraine).
So based on Daniel 8, Balkan interest in the EU and the EU interest in the Balkans, it is likely that the Western Balkans will, at least for a time, support the coming Beast power in Europe.
Notice also the following prophecy:
10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. (Revelation 17:10-11)
The EU looks to be the sixth king above.
Related to the European Union in prophecy, the Continuing Church of God put together this sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:
1:13:56
European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10
Could the European Union be involved in biblical prophecies? If so, which ones? What did the EU form from? Did the little horn of Benelux grow larger towards the south and east as Daniel prophesied? What about the seven kings of Revelation 17:10? Could they be connected to the so-called ‘Holy Roman Empire’? What is the ‘Marian’ EU flag based upon? Might the seven kings be Justinian’s Imperial Restoration, Charlemagne’s Frankish Empire, the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ of Otto the Great, the Hohenstaufen Dynasty, the Habsburg Dynasty, the European Economic Community/European Union, and the Beast of the Sea of Revelation 13? What about Napoleon or Benito Mussolini/Adolf Hitler? Did Otto von Habsburg renounce his right to the title ‘Holy Roman Emperor’ in the same year that the European Economic Union (aka the Common Market) formed in 1958? Did the EEU last until the EU was formed in 1993? What about the beast that “was, and is not” and “now is’? What about the beast that “is also the eighth, and is of the seven”? What have Roman Catholic and Protestant scholars taught? What about Church of God groups and writers including Andrew Dugger and Herbert W. Armstrong? What are some of the religious connections between the Church of Rome and Europe? What about private prophecies related to the ‘Great Monarch’? Could those looking for the Great Monarch miss the Beast and Antichrist according to Roman Catholic writer Paul Thigpen? Could the final Antichrist be an antipope? Is the the Mediterranean Sea the sea that the Beast of Revelation 13 rises from? How does the EU resemble the ‘Holy Roman Empire’? Could the EU be the sixth king of Revelation 17:10? Might the United Nations be involved and support the rise of the seventh king? Is the EU setting the stage for the seventh king? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more.
Here is a link to the sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Yes, I expect that the EU will expand and have additional nations, such as those in the Balkans. Notice, however, also the following:
41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. (Daniel 2:41-43)
Partially because of that prophecy, as well as some written by Jeremiah, I have long believed that various nations who will temporarily support the coming European Beast power will turn against it.
Some that become disillusioned/disappointed by the EU are likely to ultimately back out of it–and that may include Balkan countries like Serbia.
That being said, enlargement is a goal of the EU–and prophetically, we know that the Beast power will be large.
Let me add that there is also a European Union Enlargement forum scheduled for November 18, 2025 in the Charlemagne Building in Brussels, Belgium.
UPDATE 11/09/25: We just uploaded the following video:
EU Enlargement of the Beast?
The European Union recently approved its “2025 Enlargement Package”. This means the European Union is continuing to give consideration for inclusion of other countries into its political, military, and economic bloc. Why would the European Union want to do this? The saying “Might makes Right” come to mind. Is it possible the inclusion of the population of other countries along with the increased population, trade, and economic clout would increase the might of, not only the European Union, but also power and economies of the nations being included? Has the growth of Europe starting with the Benelux nations already primarily expanded towards the south and the east such as is prophesied for the ‘little horn’ of Daniel 8? Does the EU want the rest of the Balkan nations, which are also basically south and east of Benelux, to be part of it? Will this new Union really be stronger in the long run? If new nations do join the European Union, will they remain joined? So, who cares if other nations join the European Union? Who cares if the EU will be stronger or not? Well, what if Biblical prophecies were being fulfilled? Would anyone care then? Would it matter to you if the European Union plays a major role in Biblical prophecy? What if the European Union was the sixth king of Rev 17:10 would you care then? What is Europe will reorganize and be controlled by the ‘666’ Beast? Would you be concerned? You should be. Here’s the link to our free eBook, “Lost Tribes and Prophecies”, offered in this video that offers much more information on the European Union, the King of the North, and the Beast of the Sea. If you don’t understand the role of the European Union in Bible prophecy, you need to watch this video. The European Union and the Beast of the Sea; listen as Dr. Thiel shines the light of Biblical prophecy on current world events. The time grows shorter.
Here is a link to our video: EU Enlargement of the Beast?
The European Union wants to enlarge.
Europe is moving towards its prophesied destiny.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2035 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.