The European Commission has launched a new Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighborhood, which will oversee EU candidate and aspiring member states in the context of enlargement and accession negotiations.

The new body expands EU financial and technical assistance, now also covering countries in the Eastern Partnership, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus, according to the European Commission.

Besides enlargement-related tasks, the new directorate will also focus on communication within EU member states and increasing awareness among partner countries about the benefits of EU enlargement.