The governments of EU member states discussed today, Thursday, potential amendments to decision-making and funding processes within the bloc to prepare for the reception of new members. The European Commission stated it would propose providing funds and access to EU markets for candidate countries to accelerate their preparations. The discussions among the ministers of EU affairs from the current 27 member states are set to lay the groundwork for the EU summit on October 5 and 6.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said at a press conference after the meeting, "Expansion is one of the main challenges facing the Union... We must be ready to expand." Currently, eight countries have official candidate status for EU membership: Turkey, Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, while there are two potential candidate countries: Georgia and Kosovo.
EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi stated at the press conference that the EU would undertake internal reforms in parallel with the preparations made by candidate countries to meet the complex accession criteria. He added that to assist candidates in expediting reforms, the European Commission would provide a package of measures over the next two weeks to facilitate gradual access to EU markets, in addition to extra funding.
The talks on internal preparations for the EU have been initiated based on guidance included in a paper prepared by French and German researchers calling for a radical reform of decision-making and funding processes within the EU before it can accept more countries by an interim deadline set for 2030.
