The European Commission is developing plans for gradual integration, offering candidate countries economic benefits like funding and preferential trade before full membership. This aims to incentivize reforms and speed up enlargement without compromising EU standards.
This initiative could reshape the EU's enlargement policy, offering a pathway for countries to gain closer ties and economic advantages while the bloc addresses concerns about maintaining its standards and managing the complexities of admitting new members.
The European Commission is preparing a new strategy to accelerate the EU's enlargement process by offering candidate countries economic benefits before they achieve full membership. This "gradual integration" approach aims to provide incentives for countries to implement necessary reforms, even if their accession timelines are lengthy.
The proposed benefits include access to certain EU funding programs, preferential trade agreements, and partial entry into the single market. The specific package would be tailored to each country's progress in aligning with EU rules and implementing reforms. This strategy is designed to keep countries like Ukraine engaged in the accession process without promising immediate membership, addressing concerns from skeptical member states about lowering entry standards.
This initiative has gained political traction, with France and Germany previously supporting similar "membership-lite" concepts. Unlike earlier rejected proposals for "reverse enlargement," which would have granted political rights before accession, gradual integration focuses on economic advantages. Officials are optimistic this approach will be more acceptable to EU capitals.
However, some candidate countries, including Ukraine and Montenegro, have expressed opposition to "membership-lite" concepts, viewing them as a potential substitute for full membership. The Commission is also developing new safeguards to prevent future member states from backsliding on democratic standards or the rule of law after joining.
EU leaders are expected to discuss the framework for this initiative at an upcoming European Council meeting, potentially in October or December. The current EU has nine official candidate countries, with Montenegro considered a frontrunner and Ukraine and Moldova having already opened accession talks.