The EU is preparing new accession plans for advanced candidate countries

New EU initiative for candidate countries

The EU is preparing proposals that will offer Montenegro, Ukraine, Moldova, and Albania a clear and step-by-step plan for accession to the EU. According to Politico, these "roadmaps" will for the first time give these countries a guarantee that if they continue the necessary reforms, they will be able to join the EU. The plans will also set obligations for current EU members, whose consent is necessary for the process to move forward. 1TV+3

Restrictions and criteria

These plans will not apply to countries that are at an early stage of the accession process, specifically Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also, the plans will not affect Georgia, Turkey, and Serbia. In this regard, 1tv, 4, 5, and 6 write that the consideration of these countries' applications has been suspended due to concerns related to democratic and judicial standards. According to imedinews, the European Commission accuses these countries of democratic backsliding. 1TV+5

Goals and context

The goal of the initiative is to accelerate the accession process, which has been dragged out for decades. According to officials, EU leaders are concerned about the length of the process, as it could lead candidate countries to disappointment or put them under the pressure of Russia, China, and other rivals. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised to support those candidates that have made the most progress. Formula+3