BRUSSELS – France and Germany have proposed a new approach to EU enlargement that would allow candidate countries to gradually integrate into EU institutions, decision-making processes and the Single Market before becoming full members, according to a non-paper seen by European Western Balkans.
The document, titled “A New Momentum for Enlargement”, was prepared ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tivat on 5 June and the EU-Moldova Summit later this month.
France and Germany argue that enlargement policy needs “new momentum” and call for a more efficient accession process focused on reforms rather than procedural hurdles. As stated, EU will hold with the Western Balkans and Moldova which represent an opportunity not to be missed.
“Our joint aim is to complete the Union as a truly European Union,” the non-paper states, adding that the current methodology should be streamlined to enable “faster and deeper integration into the EU on the basis of the Copenhagen criteria”.
The two Member States propose a pre-accession strategy containing a toolbox with a set of building blocks bringing candidate countries effectively closer to the EU through a more structured gradual integration, thus providing additional incentives for reforms.
“These building blocks should build on the progress made in the accession process and be reversible in case of backsliding of the relevant candidate country in its reform process and with regard to the EU core values and principles. While each candidate country should profit from a tailor-made approach, the new approach would offer immediate and tangible progress to all candidate countries. The aim of full EU membership remains unaffected, our intention is neither to replace full EU membership nor to prolong the path towards it but the opposite: We want to create incentives which foster swifter progress on that path. This way, we ensure that gradual integration contributes to successful EU enlargement – strengthening the EU as a whole”, they stated in a non-paper.
A central element of the proposal is the creation of a pre-accession strategy based on gradual integration.
According to the document, candidate countries would gain access to various benefits as they progress in negotiations, while these benefits could be reversed in cases of democratic backsliding or violations of EU values.
France and Germany stress that the objective is not to replace full EU membership but to accelerate the path towards it by creating additional incentives for reforms.
Among the measures proposed in the non-paper is the possibility for candidate countries to obtain privileged access to the EU Single Market and stronger links with EU institutions, including a progressive observer status in EU meetings. The document also calls on the European Commission to present concrete proposals facilitating gradual integration.
The proposed “building blocks” include regular joint meetings between the European Commission, Members of the European Parliament and representatives of candidate countries, more frequent parliamentary cooperation, and participation in selected discussions of the European Council and the Council of the EU. Candidate countries that have closed relevant negotiating chapters could attend Council meetings as observers, without voting rights.
The non-paper also envisages participation in specific Foreign Affairs Council meetings for countries that provisionally close Chapter 31 on foreign, security and defence policy. It further proposes enhanced security and defence cooperation, including participation in PESCO projects, stronger cooperation with Frontex and integration into EU cybersecurity mechanisms.
In addition, France and Germany advocate broader participation of candidate countries in EU programmes such as Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, Digital Europe and Creative Europe, as well as deeper sectoral integration into the Single Market through initiatives such as SEPA, Roam Like at Home, the Energy Market, the Digital Single Market and the Transport Community.
The most ambitious proposal foresees full participation in the Single Market under an “EEA+ model” for countries that adopt and implement the EU acquis related to Clusters 1 to 5 and provisionally close the relevant negotiating chapters.
According to the document, the proposed measures would apply to candidate countries from the Western Balkans and Moldova and would remain strictly merit-based, depending on progress in reforms and compliance with EU standards
