Southeast Europe
This concept is based on the boundaries of the Balkan peninsula. The countries that have been described as being entirely within the region are: Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Montenegro.
Member state of the European Union
The EU has prioritised membership for the rest of the Western Balkans; Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey are all formally acknowledged as candidates. while Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidates. Turkish membership, pending since the 1980s, is a more contentious issue. Aside from the Cyprus dispute being a long-standing hurdle, relations between the EU and Turkey are strained after several incidents, mostly concerning the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, the Turkish referendum, and the resulting 2016–17 purges in Turkey. This has led to the European Parliament calling for a suspension of membership talks.