TIRANA, August 25 – European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has presented key elements of the European Commission’s plans to reform the European Union enlargement process. Euronews reported that the proposals include gradual integration, stricter checks on candidate countries and a new methodology.
Speaking at the Croatian Ambassadors’ Conference in Zagreb, Kos said the European Union must adapt its enlargement policy to a changing world. She described the current situation as a “new Helsinki moment” and said the Commission wants to prepare the bloc for more than 30 member states. Meanwhile, she highlighted Montenegro’s rapid progress towards membership and singled out Albania’s progress in meeting key rule-of-law criteria. She also cited advances by Ukraine and Moldova and Iceland’s decision to resume its membership process.
Kos also called for stronger safeguards to protect democratic standards and the rule of law after new members join. She said the European Union could simplify decision-making and use closer cooperation among groups of member states. However, the proposal has raised concerns about equal treatment among members.
At the same time, Kos advocated gradual integration instead of an “all or nothing” approach. She said candidate countries could receive concrete benefits earlier in the process, including access to the Single Euro Payments Area and connections to the European Union energy network. She also stressed the need for transitional measures to manage the impact of future enlargement on existing members and the bloc’s budget.
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