2024-03-24 01:58:32
European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to present proposals on Wednesday that would change the way the EU admits new members.
As Day.Az reports with reference to Interfax, Politico reports this.
According to the draft document referred to by the publication, the EC will propose to gradually integrate Ukraine, Moldova and the states of the Western Balkans into the EU. This, according to Brussels, “will allow countries in the EU waiting room to take advantage of some of the benefits of membership, rather than waiting years or decades for them to carry out the necessary reforms.”
In particular, it will be proposed to gradually allow candidate countries to join the single market. At the same time, the EC warns that the rights and obligations of the single market “cannot be optional”, and EU leaders need to discuss what obligations should accompany certain levels or stages of market access.
With most EU leaders already warning that the 30-plus member union will be even more difficult to govern, the Commission will propose scrapping the unanimity requirement that has stalled decision-making on foreign and tax policy to avoid future deadlocks.
The document provides for voting by qualified majority “with appropriate and proportional guarantees that take into account strategic national interests,” the publication notes.
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