In Granada, the European Union raises the thorny question of its enlargement

2023-10-06 19:14:33

Is a Union of 35 for tomorrow? This perspective is becoming more and more concrete. In Granada (Spain), during an informal meeting of the European Council this Friday, October 6, it largely occupied the 27 leaders of the European Union (EU).

This Andalusian meeting allowed the large European family to reflect on its future, which is based on two pillars: that of enlargement, but also that of possible internal reforms within the EU. Because for the most cautious delegations, like France and Germany, without “clean up internally” (an expression that constantly comes up in the mouths of the many advisors present on site), it is impossible to properly welcome new members. For others, the trend would be more towards “come what may”. In other words, “let’s enlarge the EU, and adapt as we go along”.

“Grenada Declaration”

The first camp seems to take precedence over the second. In a cautious “Granada declaration” (cut from the not enough consensual theme of migration), the bloc underlines that “Enlargement is a geostrategic investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity”and indicates that in the perspective of an enlarged Union, “both the EU and future member states must be ready”. “The Union must prepare reforms” necessary, add European leaders. For the “head of the family”, the President of the European Council Charles Michel, three questions are central: “What do we want to do together? How can we be sure that we can get along? And how can we finance our ambitions? »

But behind the grand declarations of intent lies a complex legal reality: it is difficult, if not impossible, to reform the EU in depth without going through a reform of the treaties. However, the experience of the Conference on the Future of the Union, so dear to French President Emmanuel Macron, has shown that the Member States do not want to go through that. The most sensitive issues, such as the abandonment of the rule of unanimity for certain state votes, could therefore be left aside, in favor of less ambitious reforms but more acceptable to EU countries.

The question of the calendar left aside

And if the idea of ​​a future enlargement seems to be generally accepted, the question of the timetable has also, for the moment, been carefully left aside. At the end of August, in a notable speech, Charles Michel declared that he was aiming for the next enlargement of the EU by 2030.

In Granada, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen explained that her institution will present, at the beginning of November, a long-awaited “enlargement package”. This text will present an inventory of the progress made by the various candidate countries – Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine – with a view to joining the EU. Georgia and Kosovo are potential candidates.

Thus, during the European Council on December 14 and 15, the Twenty-Seven will be able to engage, according to the President of the Commission, in a “informed discussion” on this dizzying question of enlargement.