The European Commission is considering safeguards for future members as Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine progress in the accession process, according to a draft document seen by Reuters. The document could still change and is part of a package expected next week. [1]
The options include a temporary political commitment by new members not to block consensus decisions and a post-accession clause allowing existing members to suspend rights, including voting rights, by qualified majority. New accession treaties could also contain time-limited safeguards on areas such as worker mobility and agriculture. [1]
ContextThe draft also calls for more systematic pre-accession integration in defence, energy and transport. These are Commission proposals under consideration, not adopted EU rules or agreed conditions for any individual candidate country. [1]