European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to present tomorrow in Strasbourg the long-delayed review of EU policies ahead of enlargement, in order to prepare the 27-member bloc for the integration of candidates such as Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, and Moldova.
The pre-enlargement policy proposal aims to alleviate current member states’ fears that the process will negatively impact their businesses and that new members could use their veto to block EU decisions.
It should also provide new momentum in accession negotiations and prepare the EU for new members.
In response to member states’ concerns, according to the Commission’s proposal, the EU will rely less on consensus and more on majority voting, including in sensitive areas such as defense, sanctions, human rights, and enlargement itself.
The proposal also envisages that new members sign a political declaration committing not to oppose decisions made by existing members by consensus, and a safeguard clause is being considered that would allow existing member states, for a certain period after accession, to suspend the rights of a new member—including voting rights—by a decision made by a “qualified majority” of 15 out of 27 members.
As Brussels’ EUobserver writes today, this is a change that could help accelerate candidacies such as Ukraine’s.
The EU pre-enlargement policy proposal is also expected to include the introduction of temporary restrictions on the right of veto for new members, a longer period of safeguard measures, and a reduction in the number of European commissioners to two-thirds of the Union’s member states.
EUobserver writes that it is ironic that the proposal to abolish unanimity in certain votes, which von der Leyen will propose, will require a unanimous decision by all 27 members.
Brussels media familiar with the Commission’s plans previously wrote that the document contains roadmaps for the most promising candidates, among whom Serbia is not included, safeguard mechanisms to prevent new members from undermining key policies or breaching commitments, and transitional periods before a new member is fully granted certain rights arising from membership.
According to the draft proposal, the Commission could financially penalize new members if they deviate from democratic and judicial standards.
EU member states are cautious when it comes to admitting new members. EU leaders will discuss the manner and speed of admitting new members at a two-day summit starting on October 15, and the Commission will seek their political support to accelerate enlargement.
After the Commission adopts the proposal for preparing a wider EU, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos will present it on Wednesday to the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) of the European Parliament.
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