Thewesternbalkans.
During its regular meeting on 15 and 16 October 2026 the European Council has taken a decision on enlargement. According to the adopted document (Council Conclusions) the European Council “stresses the continued importance of enlargement as a geostrategic investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity”. The Enlargement is a driver for improving the economic and social conditions of European citizens, reducing disparities between countries, and must foster the values on which the Union is founded.
Both future Member States and the EU need to be ready at the time of accession. Aspiring members need to continue their reform efforts, notably in the area of rule of law, in line with the merit-based nature of the accession process with the assistance of the EU. Each candidate country advances in its accession negotiations on the basis of its individual progress.
In parallel, the Union needs to advance internal work and reforms, set its long-term ambitions and the ways to achieve them, and address key questions related to its priorities and policies as well as its capacity to act. In this context, The European Council takes note of the Commission’s Communication on ‘Preparing for a wider Union’ and calls on the Council to analyse all strands and, on the basis of this analysis, to take work forward.
The European Council welcomes the ongoing work on drafting the accession treaty with Montenegro. It notes the intention of the Irish Council Presidency to work towards the provisional closure of the remaining negotiating chapters, subject to the implementation of the corresponding reforms by Montenegro.
As the European Council decision on Enlargement has been taken on the basis of the European Commission proposal named “Preparing for a wider Union” it is the right place do look at the Commission document.
The European Commission has adopted a package on pre-enlargement policy reviews, setting out the policy orientations and actions needed to prepare the Union for future enlargements.
The Commission sets out how the existing Treaty framework and future accession treaties can be used to prepare the Union for a larger membership.
According to the Commission’s proposal “The EU must adapt its governance to make decision-making swifter and more effective. By making the most of the possibilities under the Treaties, the Union can strengthen its capacity to act, prepare for future members and become better equipped for the future”.
To this end, the Commission will continue to advocate the use of passerelle clauses to move from unanimity to qualified majority voting in key areas such as sanctions, tax fraud and fiscal measures in energy policy. In addition, the Commission will review pending proposals to identify where enhanced cooperation could help overcome a persistent blockage. In the area of enlargement, the Commission is suggesting to use of qualified majority voting for the opening of the negotiating clusters and other intermediary decisions in accession negotiations, making the process more dynamic.
According to the document: “The policy reviews show that the Union can accommodate a larger membership within the existing Treaty framework and accession treaties. Across policy areas, administrative capacity and implementation are the most recurrent requirements, both within the EU and in the enlargement countries. Skills, regulatory and supervisory capacity, interoperable systems and cooperation between administrations must and will be strengthened before accession”.
In terms of budgetary arrangements, the policy reviews underline that the Union budget can accommodate new Member States while continuing to finance the Union’s existing priorities. Under the next Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034, candidates would be funded under Global Europe before accession; at accession, this would transition into the new Member State’s National and Regional Partnership Plans, with additional funding for cohesion, agriculture, Home Affairs and Interreg. For Ukraine, given the scale, structure and very high productivity of its agricultural sector, targeted arrangements should significantly limit financial support and market access for sensitive agricultural products, while helping Ukraine regain access to its traditional third-country export markets.
The package also reinforces the gradual integration process by making it more coherent, more structured and predictable. This enhanced process will further support candidate countries prepare for membership through earlier participation in selected Union policies, provided conditions are met. This can build administrative capacity, strengthen preparedness for accession and deliver tangible benefits for citizens and businesses both in the EU and in enlargement countries before membership. Participation would remain merit-based, conditional and reversible, and depend on policy readiness and strategic alignment. Closer integration should bring tangible benefits to citizens and businesses in both the EU and candidate countries. The Commission will map existing gradual integration instruments and identify opportunities to deepen integration in strategic sectors such as energy, transport, digital and defence.
The basis of the Commission proposal is a set of safeguards for future accession treaties, including stronger sectoral safeguards and a new institutional safeguard clause, to ensure that commitments undertaken during accession negotiations continue to be fulfilled steadily after accession. The Commission is proposing a common framework for these safeguards in particular, the period during which safeguards can be activated in areas such as the economy, the internal market, and justice and home affairs, would be significantly extended after accession. A dedicated institutional safeguard would address serious breaches of Article 2 TEU values and the principle of sincere cooperation. In the most serious cases, measures could include the suspension of Council voting rights. Transitional arrangements could also be used where needed, including for the free movement of workers and services, agriculture, sensitive products, funding and participation in common systems. For a limited period, a new Member State could also commit not to block future enlargements because of bilateral disputes.
As part of the 2026 Enlargement package, the Commission will present indicative roadmaps for Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine, provided they maintain reform momentum. It will also present a coherent approach for the gradual integration, including a mapping of the strategic areas.
The Commission will also work with Member States and candidate countries to align accession negotiations with the Union’s internal preparations.
Comments:
The proposals for new reforms presented in the review of enlargement policy are unlikely to have surprised anyone, but they seem to have somewhat dampened enthusiasm for enlargement.
The EU—quite understandably—feels the need to protect itself against the emergence of a second Hungary. Consequently, one of the key proposals is the introduction of a 15-year probationary period for new members. All that remains is for the other candidates to agree to the many new restrictions (protective safeguards) set out in the future treaties. It is also hard to imagine member states giving up their right to have a say and letting the EC form qualified majorities as it sees fit in the enlargement process.
A positive development is the official identification of the leading candidates: Albania, Montenegro, Moldova, and Ukraine. With the exception of Montenegro, the other three countries still face a long wait. However, the problem of reforms existing only on paper is highly pronounced in Montenegro, as well as among the other candidates.
On the other hand, it is first European Council document that does not starts with the Russian aggression in Ukraine, but with purely Union’s problems as concurrence, and enlargement. We have seen how the European Council has shifted the responsibility for analysis the Commission’s proposal “Preparing for a wider Union”, and corresponding decisions to the Council of the EU.
Most likely, consultations will be needed within the General Affairs Council, which will also have to make a decision.
