European Commission to present EU enlargement reform proposals this autumn, commissioner says

The European Commission will present proposals this autumn to prepare the European Union for future expansion, as current rules have largely remained unchanged for more than 40 years despite dramatic geopolitical shifts, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said, Report informs.

Kos made the announcement during a plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee.

According to Kos, the current situation in Europe differs significantly from the period following the major expansion of the bloc in 2004.

"We are still using a methodology that has practically not changed since Spain and Portugal joined the EU, whereas today's world is completely different," Kos said.

She noted that the European Commission will present its own proposals this autumn on how to prepare the union to accept new states. The proposals will include a technical assessment of how enlargement will impact the inner workings of the EU and its core policy areas, alongside recommendations to alter specific mechanisms and institutional structures within the bloc.

Additionally, the commission will outline ideas for the gradual integration of candidate countries. This includes potentially granting candidate nations access to specific benefits of membership, such as the single market, before they officially attain full EU membership.

Kos stated that this approach would help accelerate the convergence of candidate countries with the EU and render future expansion less painful for the European economy.

Furthermore, she announced that the European Commission will detail its proposals regarding Montenegro"s accession treaty. This will include a system of safeguards that is expected to serve as a blueprint for subsequent negotiations with other candidate countries.

Montenegro currently leads the European integration process. The country is expected to conclude all EU accession negotiations by the end of this year and could potentially become the 28th member state of the European Union in 2028.