Five EU Members Propose Western Balkans’ Gradual Integration into Common Market

EU flags (PHOTO: EUROPEAN UNION/Zucchi Enzo)

Five members of the European Union have proposed “an active and systematic” gradual integration of Western Balkan countries into the main sectors of the EU’s common market before their full membership, on the basis of results in harmonizing with the EU acquis and in the rule of law, explaining that this approach would maintain enlargement momentum, accelerate reforms and prevent the influence of third countries.

According to the non-paper, signed by Austria, Czechia, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia, systematic integration by sectors, as an "intermediate step toward full integration" should be

activated "when a candidate country demonstrates a high level of alignment with the EU acquis in the relevant sector, and solid and credible implementation of the rule of law."

This approach should include protective measures in cases of regression in a country that has been granted access to the EU market. Noting the reform fatigue among the candidates and potential candidates for membership, the signatories assessed that, in the past years, gradual integration had shown to be a useful instrument in that sense, but that the process had been slow and complex.

In the document, the European Commission is called on to give proposals for the particular sectors for integration into the EU common market, with clear procedures for evaluating whether a candidate has reached a high level of preparedness in the relevant chapters, as well as protective measures in cases of large non-conformities.