Costa’s plan maintains the need for unanimity to approve a country’s final accession, keeping the collective authority of EU nations intact. However, lowering the threshold to start talks could facilitate progress and reduce frustration in Kyiv and Chișinău.
This move would enable candidate countries, like Ukraine and Moldova, to initiate reforms to align with EU standards, even if a few members are against starting negotiations.
EU diplomats view Costa’s proposal as a way to bypass consistent obstruction from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose veto has impeded Ukraine and Moldova’s advancement.
“When a country is hindered without valid reasons, despite meeting the criteria, it jeopardizes the credibility of the entire enlargement process,” stated Mercier.
The Commission supports efforts to accelerate the process but emphasizes that the decision to advance EU membership talks rests with member countries.
“It’s ultimately for the member states to decide the next steps, and we hope to open cluster one as soon as possible,” Mercier added.
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