Preparing for a wider European Union

When more countries join the European Union, we need to be ready. This is why the European Commission has reviewed the actions needed to prepare the EU and countries seeking to join the EU for future enlargements.

The new measures will prepare the European Union's governance, policies and budget for enlargement, while strengthening the protection of EU values and the rule of law.

Adapting policies for a wider Union

The EU can take in more countries within the existing Treaty and budgetary framework. Some improvements would, however, be needed in terms of administrative capacity and implementation.

When it comes to budgetary arrangements, the Union budget can accommodate new Member States while continuing to finance the Union's existing priorities.

Strengthening governance for a larger Union

If more countries join the EU, the decision-making needs to be swifter and more effective. The Commission proposes making greater use of the possibilities under the Treaties to strengthen the Union’s capacity to act, including

• moving from unanimity to qualified majority voting in key areas, including for the opening of the negotiating clusters, helping to make the enlargement process more dynamic
• more effective handling of Article 7 procedures (i.e. the possibility to suspend certain rights of a Member State if it seriously violates the EU’s core values), including possible timeframes

The annual Enlargement and Rule of Law Reports will continue to serve as the main monitoring tools.

Gradually integrating candidate countries into the EU

The measures reinforce the gradual integration of candidate countries into the EU by  

• identifying opportunities to deepen integration in strategic sectors such as energy, transport, digital and defence 
• launching annual dialogues with enlargement partners to track progress, identify opportunities, and address gaps in gradual integration

Sectoral and institutional safeguards

The measures propose stronger safeguards for future accession treaties so that commitments made during negotiations continue to be respected after accession.

• A dedicated institutional safeguard would address serious breaches of the fundamental values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union and the principle of sincere cooperation. In the most serious cases, measures could include the suspension of Council voting rights. 
• Transitional arrangements could also be used where needed, including for the free movement of workers and services, agriculture, sensitive products, funding and participation in common EU systems.

Next steps

The Commission invites the European Council and the European Parliament to advance discussions and institutional preparations. 

It will work with EU and candidate countries to align accession negotiations with the Union’s internal preparations and present roadmaps for Montenegro, Albania, Moldova, and Ukraine.

EU enlargement remains a key priority for the Commission and an important driver of long-term security, peace, stability and prosperity in Europe.

For more information

Press release

Questions and answers

Enlargement