The European Commission will propose restricting some rights for future members of the European Union (EU) and moving to qualified majority voting instead of unanimity in a number of areas, including enlargement. These are the main elements of the enlargement strategy that the EC will adopt and publish on 7 October. The aim of these two proposals is to ensure that the admission of new members does not further complicate the already complicated decision-making process within the European bloc.

The EC will emphasize in the strategy that enlargement must be well prepared, for mutual benefit. On the one hand, candidates for membership must be ready and meet strict conditions, while on the other hand, the EU must be institutionally, financially and politically ready to remain functional even after enlargement. According to the draft document, which Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) has had access to, the mechanisms for future members, which the Commission is preparing, would aim to limit the possibility of blocking decisions during the first years of membership, while existing member states would have instruments at their disposal to react if new members, after membership, deviate from the obligations undertaken.

Future members without veto power
The most sensitive element of the draft concerns the restriction of the right of veto, which in the document is symbolically called a “temporary obligation regarding decision-making in the Council of the EU and the European Council”. Under this proposal, future members would pledge not to oppose Council decisions in areas where unanimity is required. This proposal would apply to institutional matters and issues related to future enlargements.

In return, the draft states, the European institutions would commit to finding a satisfactory solution when a new member refers to essential national interests. The new agreements, according to REL sources familiar with the content of the document, would be included in a joint declaration that would be attached to the Accession Treaty. The declaration would be adopted before the Accession Treaty.

Safeguard clauses
In addition to the existing mechanisms that applied to previous members, the EC will propose the addition of two new mechanisms, related to financial and institutional issues.

The financial backstop would enable the EC, for a limited period after accession, to propose proportionate measures if there is clear evidence or a serious risk that deficiencies in the rule of law are jeopardising the financial management of the EU budget or the protection of its financial interests.

The institutional clause would be applied in the event of a “particularly serious breach”, when the EU Council could adopt appropriate and proportionate measures, including the temporary suspension of certain rights deriving from membership.

The Commission, through this document, will also warn of the strengthening of measures in the event of a deterioration in the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights after the conclusion of accession negotiations.

Proposed changes also in EU institutions
It seems that EU membership will not mean that future members will automatically have their own commissioners, as according to the new proposal this will not apply to existing members either.

The Commission, in fact, proposes that the number of Commissioners, which currently corresponds to the number of Member States, be reduced to two-thirds of the number of Member States, with strictly equal rotation. The Commission also supports the wider application of qualified majority voting, as well as increased cooperation of a group of countries when there is no unanimity. The draft, among other things, proposes that qualified majority decision-making be applied to intermediate steps in the enlargement process, such as the opening and closing of chapters, while unanimity would apply only to the final decision on the admission of a future member to the EU./REL