The European Union needs long-term political vision with both institutional and financial reforms to ensure its ability to welcome new members, the “Deepening EU integration in view of future enlargement” report adopted Thursday in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, stated.
305 MEPs voted in favor of the document, 157 voted against and 17 abstained. The report stressed that preparatory processes for enlargement should take place in parallel in both the EU and accession countries.
Some MEPs called for stronger protection of the rule of law and the EU’s democratic values against possible deviation from them by both current and future member states. They also asserted that enlargement would strengthen the Union.
Regarding European institutional reforms, they declared that in order to operate more effectively the EU should be reformed, including decision-making procedures and moving away from unanimity.
However, MEPs that opposed adopting the report argued that abolishing unanimity is a step toward creating a “European Superstate”, and argued that enlargement has “no negative effect on the decision-making capacity of the EU.”
The report also mentions that the EU should set specific reform goals, action plans, and intermediate timeframes for each acceding country, with no fast track or pre-set deadlines for membership, MEPs noted.
Countries that make significant progress in EU-related reforms should be allowed to gradually integrate into common EU policies, such as the single market. Diversified integration is part of the solution for an effective, deepened and enlarged EU, but it must not lead to a weakening of its values, the document said.
Risks and opportunities of enlargment
Enlargement is both a major financial challenge for the EU, particularly with regard to cohesion policy and agriculture, and an opportunity to reform these policies, MEPs said. A properly financed multi-annual financial framework (MFF) and a more efficient EU budget are needed, they added.
“EU enlargement is a historic opportunity to achieve a united, secure and peaceful Europe. It is high time to accelerate accession negotiations with candidate countries. We recommend a common approach, according to which enlargement and EU institutional and decision-making reforms must go hand in hand to strengthen the EU and fulfill the promise made to candidate countries,” co-rapporteur, Petras Auštrevičius from Renew Europe) said.
Some MEPs called for stronger protection of the rule of law and the EU’s democratic values against possible deviation from them by both current and future member states. They also asserted that enlargement would strengthen the Union.
Regarding European institutional reforms, they declared that in order to operate more effectively the EU should be reformed, including decision-making procedures and moving away from unanimity.
However, MEPs that opposed adopting the report argued that abolishing unanimity is a step toward creating a “European Superstate”, and argued that enlargement has “no negative effect on the decision-making capacity of the EU.”
Accession procedureMEP @JSaryuszWolski speaks out against the report on deepening EU integration in view of future EU enlargement, which aims to abolish unanimity voting in foreign affairs in favour of qualified majority voting.
— ECR Group (@ecrgroup) February 28, 2024
“Saying that enlargement necessitates EU centralisation via Treaty… pic.twitter.com/R7nY0qzylB
The report also mentions that the EU should set specific reform goals, action plans, and intermediate timeframes for each acceding country, with no fast track or pre-set deadlines for membership, MEPs noted.
Countries that make significant progress in EU-related reforms should be allowed to gradually integrate into common EU policies, such as the single market. Diversified integration is part of the solution for an effective, deepened and enlarged EU, but it must not lead to a weakening of its values, the document said.
Risks and opportunities of enlargment
Enlargement is both a major financial challenge for the EU, particularly with regard to cohesion policy and agriculture, and an opportunity to reform these policies, MEPs said. A properly financed multi-annual financial framework (MFF) and a more efficient EU budget are needed, they added.
“EU enlargement is a historic opportunity to achieve a united, secure and peaceful Europe. It is high time to accelerate accession negotiations with candidate countries. We recommend a common approach, according to which enlargement and EU institutional and decision-making reforms must go hand in hand to strengthen the EU and fulfill the promise made to candidate countries,” co-rapporteur, Petras Auštrevičius from Renew Europe) said.
Source: PAP, europarl.europa.eu
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