Politico: EU preparing a scheme that gives candidate countries economic benefits before full membership

The European Union is drafting a new approach for candidate countries, under which they would be able to benefit from economic advantages even before full entry into the bloc, with the aim of speeding up enlargement and encouraging reforms.

Under this framework, the benefits would be granted gradually and would depend on each country’s progress in implementing reforms and aligning with EU legislation. This would open the way for candidate countries to gain access to EU funding programs, preferential trade agreements, and partial inclusion in the European single market.

Unlike previous ideas, which envisaged granting candidate countries certain political rights before membership and which met resistance from member states, the new version focuses solely on economic incentives and does not grant them full political status within the bloc.

This initiative appears to have secured broader political support, especially from France and Germany. Both countries see gradual integration as a way to keep candidates engaged in the required reforms, even if full membership remains several years away.

The European Commission aims to secure the approval of member state governments for this model at European Council meetings expected to be held in October or December. According to the plan, the benefits would be granted on a case-by-case basis, depending on the progress of each candidate country.

This development comes at a time when the EU is seeking to move faster on enlargement, particularly after Russian aggression against Ukraine, but without easing the membership criteria. One important objective is to keep countries such as Ukraine and Moldova tied to the process through concrete benefits along their path toward joining the bloc.

At present, the European Union has nine candidate countries. Montenegro is seen as the country closest to membership, while Ukraine and Moldova have begun negotiations. By contrast, the paths of Serbia, Turkey, and Georgia remain slowed.

At the same time, the European Commission is also working on new safeguard mechanisms that would allow intervention if countries joining in the future were to backslide on democratic standards or the rule of law after being admitted to the EU. The aim is to preserve the integrity of the enlargement process.

After the Commission’s earlier proposals for “reverse enlargement” failed to secure the support of EU countries, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said it is now up to governments to determine how this debate will move forward.

Among the leaders supporting an alternative approach is German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had planned to raise the issue at last week’s European Council summit.

A diplomat involved in the talks said officials were trying to make up for a “lost decade” of enlargement reform, while at the same time facing resistance from governments seeking guarantees that candidate countries will complete meaningful reforms before joining.

Earlier this month, Kos told Politico that the Commission is also preparing new safeguard measures that would “dig in” if future member states move away from democracy or the rule of law after accession. According to her, this is another effort to assure governments that the bloc can speed up enlargement without undermining its own standards.