“facilitated” accession of Ukraine to the EU with restrictions is being considered in Brussels – FT

The British edition of the Financial Times wrote that Brussels is preparing proposals for a radical revision of the European Union accession system, which could speed up Ukraine’s accession, but this idea has caused concern in a number of member states.

Source: “European truth” with a link to the publication

Details: The publication notes that the plan under discussion would allow Ukraine to join the EU, but with much less decision-making powers.

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For example, according to officials, initially Ukraine will not have voting rights at leaders’ summits and ministerial meetings.

Under the proposals, which are still being drawn up, Kyiv would gain gradual access to parts of the EU’s single market, its agricultural subsidies and domestic development financing after reaching certain post-accession milestones.

This will fundamentally change the accession rules agreed in 1993, which require countries to comply with a huge number of EU regulations in various policy areas and to enter only after meeting all requirements.

“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures… We are not undermining enlargement. We are expanding the concept of enlargement,” said one senior EU diplomat familiar with the concept.

“The rules were written more than 30 years ago. And they should be more flexible. This is a once-in-a-generation moment, and we should take advantage of it,” he added.

However, diplomats from EU member states and other countries seeking to join the European Union who took part in informal discussions with the commission on the proposal said the concept was deeply troubling. Some fear that this will negatively affect the future stability of the EU, devalue the value of membership and anger other candidate countries.

“This is a trap set by Putin and Trump, and we are falling into it,” said a second EU diplomat, referring to the risk to the unity of the European Union.

A large group of current EU members, while eager to support Ukraine, are categorically against any measures that could create loopholes in the rules or establish a two-tier membership system, four EU diplomats said.

“Try to force it on member states and they will never accept it,” said a senior EU official, warning that it would cause a damaging rift between Brussels and member states.

Other officials said any moves to tweak the enlargement process would also undermine the ambitions of other accession candidates and raise wider questions about the EU’s engagement with its close neighbours.

Montenegro and Albania are the closest to membership in terms of chapter progress and may feel they are being offered a less attractive reward, three of the seven people interviewed said.

It will also raise the question of whether the same “soft” enlargement option will be offered to other states that have made little or no progress towards membership in recent years.

We will remind:

• Ukraine expects that it will not be subjected to additional or excessive demands in the negotiations on joining the European Union.
• Ukraine and the European Commission consider Ukraine’s accession to the EU as a guarantee of security in the event of the end of hostilities with the Russian Federation.