The European Commission has adopted a new policy package aimed at preparing the European Union for future enlargement, including the accession of Albania and the other five Western Balkan countries.
The package, published by the Commission on Tuesday, sets out policy orientations and measures considered necessary to prepare the EU for a larger membership.
It provides an in-depth assessment of EU policies in light of the next phase of enlargement and examines how the existing treaty framework, as well as future accession treaties, can be used to prepare the Union for the admission of new members.
The Commission also proposes a series of safeguards to be included in future accession treaties. These include stronger sector-specific safeguards and a new institutional safeguard clause designed to ensure that commitments made during accession negotiations continue to be fulfilled consistently after a country joins the EU.
The package is part of the Commission’s broader effort to adapt the Union’s policies and institutional framework to a potentially larger membership, as Albania and other Western Balkan countries continue along their respective EU integration paths.
