EU proposes 15-year safeguards for new members
The European Commission has proposed a new framework for EU enlargement that would allow candidate countries to gradually integrate into selected EU policies before full membership, while introducing stronger safeguards for up to 15 years after accession.
The package aims to prepare the bloc for future enlargement while ensuring that countries joining the EU maintain commitments on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said the proposed safeguards would serve as an “insurance policy” against serious backsliding after accession.
Under the proposal, the EU could restrict financial support or, in the most serious cases, suspend a new member state’s voting rights in the EU Council if major breaches occur.
The safeguards could remain in place for up to 15 years, although the specific arrangements would be negotiated with each candidate country and set out in accession treaties or related regulations.
Gradual integration before membership
The Commission also wants candidate countries to participate in selected EU policies before becoming full members.
Countries that make sufficient progress on reforms and demonstrate strategic alignment with the EU could gain earlier access to cooperation in areas such as energy, transport, artificial intelligence, security and defense.
Kos described the approach as a bridge between the EU’s geopolitical goal of stabilizing Europe and its merit-based accession process.
She stressed that gradual integration would not replace full membership and would remain conditional, merit-based and reversible.
Four candidates identified as most advanced
Kos identified Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine as the four most advanced EU candidates and said the Commission plans to publish indicative roadmaps for their gradual integration.
The approach would give candidate countries access to selected benefits of closer EU cooperation while keeping full membership dependent on meeting the bloc’s accession requirements.
Commission seeks faster enlargement decisions
The package also proposes changes to EU decision-making as the bloc prepares for a larger membership.
The Commission said it would continue promoting the use of passerelle clauses to replace unanimity with qualified majority voting in areas including sanctions, tax fraud and certain fiscal measures linked to energy policy.
It also proposed qualified majority voting for decisions on opening negotiating clusters and other intermediate steps in accession talks.
The proposals will now be discussed by EU member states, the European Parliament and the EU Council as the bloc considers the institutional and policy changes needed for future enlargement.
Source:AA
