Franco-German-Benelux paper seen by Euractiv suggests ways to limit political risk of expanding the EU
The EU should temporarily bar new member states from voting on budgetary, security and foreign policy decisions, according to a proposal from five capitals.
France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg made the suggestion in a document seen by Rapporteur, Euractiv’s flagship newsletter. It comes amid a flurry of new policy proposals about how to revive the EU’s dormant enlargement ambitions, with no new country having joined since Croatia in 2013.
The pitch is also an attempt to take the sting out of the often politically-fraught attempt to bring new countries into the EU, as each of the 27 countries will need to agree to new joiner, and there will potentially be referendums needed in Ireland and France. Diplomats in Brussels have already begun drafting a new treaty to bring Montenegro into the EU.
Framed as a “temporary” and “transitional” measure, the ban on voting could affect frontrunners Montenegro and Albania, as well as hopefuls including Ukraine and Moldova. It shouldn’t pose a political problem for Albania, whose Prime Minister Edi Rama has already signalled openness to waiving veto rights if and when Tirana joins.
