FOCUS – EU: Reforms aim to prepare the bloc for new members

The European Commission wants to give a new impetus to the EU enlargement process, in which several candidate countries have waited for years to join, as DW reports.

Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine are currently the most advanced countries on the path towards EU membership.

European officials hope that Montenegro could become an EU member as early as 2028.

“A larger union is a long-term investment for Europe’s peace, security and well-being,” European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos declared before journalists in Strasbourg.

One of the main questions is how the EU can admit more countries in the near future without making the Union harder to govern and without risking democratic backsliding in the new member states.

The European Commission’s answer is that, in parallel with the candidate countries meeting EU standards, the European Union itself should also reform.

The aim is to remove obstacles in the accession process and to strengthen the mechanisms for protecting democratic values.

Less unanimity, more qualified majority voting

One of the main obstacles in accession negotiations has been the need for unanimous decisions by all 27 member states.

In the past, individual states have blocked the progress of candidate countries because of bilateral disagreements.

A notable example is the delays in Ukraine’s negotiation process caused by Hungary.

The European Commission now, and not for the first time, recommends that member states give up the principle of unanimity for decisions such as opening negotiating chapter clusters and replace it with qualified majority voting.

“Each chapter cluster that is opened is subject to three separate decisions, and each decision requires unanimity. This is unbelievable, and I think it should clearly change,” said a European Commission official, who asked to remain anonymous.

However, moving to qualified majority voting would itself require a unanimous decision.

“I have doubts whether member states will unanimously agree to this change,” said Tinatin Akhvlediani, head of the enlargement programme at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), referring to previous unsuccessful attempts to change the voting rules.

Gradual access to the benefits of membership

To encourage reforms in the candidate countries, the European Commission proposes gradual integration.

This means these countries can benefit from some of the advantages of membership before becoming full members, as long as they meet EU criteria.

“Gradual integration is not a substitute for full membership. It is the accelerator of enlargement,” said Marta Kos, stressing that the process will remain merit-based.

According to Nina Vujanovic, a researcher at the Brussels-based Bruegel research institute, this could have a motivating effect for candidate countries.

“Reforms are important, but it is just as important that this process is rewarded somewhat earlier, before membership,” she said.

Earlier access to EU benefits is not entirely new. For example, Montenegro already participates in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), even though it is not yet an EU member.

Facing geopolitical realities

The European Commission now wants to make this approach more systematic and link it to strategic alignment.

“This will not be available to candidate countries if they do not orient themselves clearly towards the EU,” a Commission official said.

Conditionality with strategic alignment is a new element and reflects the EU’s efforts to adapt to the geopolitical tensions faced by member and candidate countries.

The candidates’ choice: Russia or the EU?

“The EU is trying to keep candidate countries away from Russian influence,” said Heather Grabbe, a senior researcher at Bruegel.

“The aim for strategic alignment is directed especially at politicians like Aleksandar Vucic in Serbia, who has clearly promoted Russian interests,” she added.

The new procedures would require alignment not only with the EU’s foreign and security policy, but also with its economic security standards.

“Gas trade with Russia simply is not something that builds trust with the European Union,” said Nina Vujanovic.

The lessons the EU drew from Hungary and Poland

To prevent violations of democratic rules by new members, the European Commission proposes a 15-year period during which it would be easier to sanction new countries, for example by limiting financial funds or voting rights.

In an interview for The Guardian and other European media, Marta Kos made clear that the EU has drawn lessons from the democratic backsliding seen in countries like Poland and Hungary.

“No more Viktor Orbans. We need faster mechanisms than just Article 7,” Kos said.

Double standard or necessary protection?

Critics argue that this safeguard measure would create unequal conditions within the union.

“It is fundamentally unfair,” said Heather Grabbe.

However, many current candidate countries have a fragile history as far as democratic norms are concerned.

“They are in fact fragile democracies. Therefore this approach towards them may be justified,” said Tinatin Akhvlediani.

Experts say that although it would be desirable for similar rules to apply to all members, this is not really feasible, because it would require unanimous approval.

Although the European Commission’s initiative for new enlargement rules is likely to push the debate forward, in the end it is up to the member states to decide how many of the proposals will become reality.

The European Council, composed of the heads of state or government of the 27 member countries, the president of the European Council and the president of the European Commission, is expected to discuss these proposals at its next meeting on 15-16 October.

The outcome of these talks will determine how fast the European Commission’s new enlargement agenda can move forward.