Germany, France make EU reform pitch ahead of enlargement talks

A Franco-German expert report on how to best reform the EU to prepare it for the accession of future members is expected to be submitted to European affairs ministers on Tuesday (19 September).

The report, prepared by a group of twelve independent experts, was initially commissioned by French Europe minister Laurence Boone and her German counterpart Anna Lührmann in January to reflect on what reforms the EU would need to undertake to be fit for future enlargement.

The text, previewed to Euractiv, is entitled “Navigating the high seas” to underline the challenge represented by the need for the potential integration of around ten countries into the bloc.

EU reform: France, Germany confident on reaching agreement this year

The French and German ministers of state for Europe, Laurence Boone and Anna Lührmann, emphasised in an exclusive interview with EURACTIV that the two countries are confident that partial institutional reform of the EU will be possible within this year.

Qualified majority, gradual accession

With the report, Paris and Berlin wish to present the reform debate on a wider angle than simply whether the EU treaties should be renegotiated or not and look into alternative options, Euractiv understands.

Changing the treaties would require unanimity of all 27 member states and is bound to face hurdles, as disagreements on many thorny issues would arise in case of a re-negotiation.

In the report, experts looked closer at the decision-making mechanisms within the bloc, where they propose to redefine the qualified majority at 60% of member states representing 60% of the EU population rather than the 55% of countries representing 65% of the population currently.

Unanimity should no longer be anything but the exception while using ‘passerelle clauses’ according to which some policy areas could be voted under a qualified majority (QMV) should be encouraged, the report states.

The push comes as over the past year and a half since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, decisions over the bloc’s restrictive measures against Moscow or in favour of military support for Ukraine had been delayed over Hungary’s insistence to use its right of veto.

On the EU’s institutional level, experts advise maintaining the current ceiling on the number of MEPs, at 751, which would require a new national calculation. According to the report, there should also be a lower number of European Commissioners (currently one member per state) or at least a clear prioritisation to maintain a dynamic within the European Commission.

EU readies ‘substantial proposals’ on enlargement in October, Várhelyi says

Enlargement of the EU by 2030 is doable, but only if the candidates and the bloc itself “redouble their efforts”, Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhely told EURACTIV, adding that the European Commission will make “substantial proposals” for enlargement in October.

The expert group also spoke out in favour of an EU budget increase, particularly via its own resources, since EU leaders continue to create new needed funds under crisis circumstances.

The report also has a section on the rule of law, recommending strengthening the so-called Article 7 procedure, which should enable sanctioning member states’ capitals that violate the bloc’s fundamental values.

An important chapter concerns the method of reforms, raising the question of to what extent and under what conditions the EU could offer candidate countries a gradual enlargement, thanks to which they could already participate in certain policies before their formal accession.

The idea of ‘gradual integration’ is not new, as it was already included in the European Commission’s new enlargement methodology proposed at the start of its current term and has been pursued on different levels with the Western Balkans and with Ukraine.

The expert report proposes the EU could move forward in four circles: “1. The inner circle; 2. The EU itself; 3. Associate members; 4. The European Political Community.”

However, so far such a ‘multi-speed’ Europe approach has been criticized by avid proponents of EU enlargement and future members alike.

Enlargement timeline

European affairs ministers are expected to give feedback on the Franco-German push in their regular meeting on Tuesday.

The report, though, represents only one of many contributions to the bloc’s enlargement and reform debate, and Euractiv understands that other member states are also working on their respective vision for EU reforms.

Experts from the Baltics, Denmark, Finland, Poland, and Sweden published a paper in July with their ideas for a reformed and enlarged bloc.

However, it comes just as EU leaders are expected to discuss the bloc’s absorption rate and necessary reforms when they meet for an informal summit in Granada under the Spanish EU Council presidency in early October.

After that, the European Commission is expected to publish its annual enlargement reports on the progress of the candidate states in mid-October or early November.

Von der Leyen hails EU enlargement as 'catalyst for progress', but careful on details

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday (13 September) made the case for enlargement as a ‘catalyst for progress’ of the bloc but failed to put forward concrete targets.

On this basis, EU leaders are expected to decide in December whether or not to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.

Although the Franco-German experts suggest setting an enlargement date, three EU diplomats said they didn’t expect any “quick results” on which way to take the EU’s reform agenda.

European Council President Charles Michel last month suggested that Western Balkan and other EU candidate countries, as well as the EU, should be ready for enlargement by 2030, though that has been met with scepticism.

The report authors endorse Michel’s 2030 target, arguing the next European Commission “should commit to the goal of 2030 and agree how to make the EU enlargement ready by then.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in her speech on the State of the Union last week, said she had tasked the EU’s executive to come forward with a series of pre-enlargement policy reviews to prepare for the addition of new members, including an examination of how EU institutions would look in an enlarged EU.

[Edited by Alice Taylor]

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