Leaders of the European Union (EU) member states concluded their one-day informal summit focused on the bloc's future strategy and enlargement in the Spanish city of Granada on Friday, culminating in the adoption of the Granada declaration.

During the summit, held in the southern Spanish city, the leaders aimed to "mark the start of the process to define the Union's general political directions and priorities for the years to come, setting a strategic course of action to shape our common future for the benefit of all," as stated in the declaration.

Speaking at a press conference following the summit, European Council President Charles Michel emphasized that the adoption of the declaration marked a crucial starting point for the future work on the EU's Strategic Agenda (2024-2029).

The Granada summit represented the inaugural occasion where EU leaders deliberated future priorities for the Agenda, slated for adoption in June 2024.

Regarding enlargement, the declaration underscored the need for readiness on both the EU's and future member states' parts. It stated, "Aspiring members need to step up their reform efforts. In parallel, the Union needs to lay the necessary internal groundwork and reforms."

"The accession process to the European Union is a merits-based one," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the press conference, adding that there are "no shortcuts, no automated accession."

EU enlargement is a structured process through which states join the bloc after fulfilling a specific set of political and economic conditions. Currently, eight countries, including several from the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova, have been granted candidate status, each following distinct processes of rapprochement with the EU.

Spain's acting Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, whose country currently holds the rotating six-month presidency of the EU Council, mentioned a day before the summit that Spain remains open to enlargement. However, he noted that including these new members would present "many challenges internally."

Migration policy was also a topic of debate among EU leaders. However, the summit declaration did not reference migration due to divisions among the member states. Poland and Hungary reportedly prevented its inclusion in the final declaration.

In recent times, there has been a notable increase in migrants arriving on European coasts. As of August, the EU has recorded over 160,000 irregular arrivals this year.