The goal of the plan, developed by the EU’s executive body, is to maintain the candidate countries’ interest by providing them with incentives to complete politically challenging reforms, even if full EU membership will not occur for several years, Politico reports.
The European Commission is developing plans to grant economic benefits to EU candidate countries prior to their accession to the bloc.
The proposals are part of the Commission’s efforts to promote “gradual integration,” which would grant candidate countries expanded access to the EU as they implement reforms, while their membership applications are still under review, according to a leading European publication citing sources within the Commission.
The benefits under consideration include access to certain EU funding programs, preferential trade agreements, and partial access to the single market prior to accession, with the exact package to be tailored to each candidate country’s progress.
This would represent a significant change from the current system, in which most benefits are reserved for full members.
This approach is intended to ensure the full engagement of candidate countries, such as Ukraine—whose accession, despite strong political support, is likely to take years—without the promise of rapid accession.
Unlike previous ideas of “reverse enlargement,” which would have granted countries political rights before the accession process was complete (a plan rejected by EU capitals), gradual integration would offer economic benefits similar to those of membership without admitting countries to the EU until they are deemed ready.
There are currently nine officially recognized candidate countries in the EU. Montenegro is considered the leading contender for membership, while Ukraine and Moldova have recently begun negotiations.
The path for other countries, including Serbia, Turkey, and Georgia, has stalled.
Commission Statement on Moldova
The Commission will seek support for the initiative from EU capitals, and officials hope that leaders will approve a broader framework at the European Council meeting in October or December.
The proposals come at a time when governments generally agree that the enlargement process should move faster, especially in the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine, but remain reluctant to admit countries until they are fully ready.
Following a meeting with Moldovan officials on Monday, the Commission stated that it would work toward both the country’s accession and “the gradual deepening of Moldova’s integration into the European Union.”
