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EUobserver: France unveils new model for EU enlargement

Politiko 18 Nëntor 2019, 16:30

EUobserver: France unveils new model for EU enlargement

Newspapers report today on a EUobserver piece, according to which France is proposing a new, step-by-step method for the European Union (EU) accession of Western Balkan countries. The “gradual association” idea was the basis for a “reformed approach to the [EU] accession process”, set out in an informal, six-page paper circulated to EU diplomats by France on Friday and seen by EUobserver.

EU enlargement currently works by opening accession negotiations with candidate countries, which cover 35 separate areas or chapters of European law. Once candidates agree to make the necessary reforms to fall into line, they are admitted as full members and gain access to European programs, such as science grants, and to tens of billions of euros a year in EU subsidies. But in the new French model, they would make the reforms in a seven-step process, gaining access to selected EU programs and funds along the way, before arriving at full membership.

According to EUobserver, the seven steps are: (i) rule of law and fundamental rights; (ii) education and research; (iii) employment and social affairs; (iv) financial affairs; (v) the single market, agriculture, and fisheries; (vi) foreign affairs; and (vii) others. If candidates graduated step one, they could gain entry to Eurojust, the EU judicial co-operation club in The Hague, for instance, France said. Step two could see them win access to the so-called Horizon 2020 science program and let Balkan universities take part in the Erasmus student exchange scheme, the French paper added. Step four could see them join the EU banking union, while step five would make candidate countries eligible for structural funds - the multi-billion euro subsidies. “Completion of negotiations corresponding to each step taken by the country would open the possibility to participate in corresponding EU programs, to be associated with certain relevant sectoral policies, and, where appropriate, to benefit from certain targeted funding,” the French paper said.

The “final objective remains full and entire accession”, it added. EU affairs ministers will hold initial talks on the French ideas in Brussels on Tuesday. They would have to agree to any changes by unanimity. But if things went well, then the European Commission ought to flesh out the ideas in legal documents by January 2020, France noted. And that might mean the EU reforms could still be put in place, or, at least, agreed in principle, in time for a summit with Western Balkan leaders in Zagreb in May.