The European Union may deny future member states the right to use veto powers for several years as part of efforts to make EU enlargement more politically acceptable, according to plans reportedly being examined by the European Commission.
Under the proposal, future member states including Moldova and countries from the Western Balkans would not automatically gain the right, upon joining the EU, to veto decisions on foreign policy or other areas that currently require unanimous approval, such as taxation.
The idea is considered particularly significant for Montenegro, currently the frontrunner among the EU’s nine official candidate countries. The former Yugoslav republic, with a population of around 624,000, aims to become the EU’s 28th member state by 2028. Earlier this month, a technical group responsible for drafting Montenegro’s accession treaty met for the first time, signaling that the country’s 14-year negotiations are entering their final stages.
The proposal reportedly emerged following difficult experiences with Hungary, whose previous pro-Russian government led by Viktor Orbán blocked several major EU decisions, including a €90 billion loan package for Ukraine.
A temporary restriction on veto powers could reportedly be included in Montenegro’s accession treaty and later serve as a model for other candidate countries.
In a separate development, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reportedly wrote to EU leaders last week calling for “innovative solutions” to accelerate EU accession for Western Balkan countries. In the letter, which described enlargement as a “geopolitical necessity,” Merz also proposed “associate membership for Ukraine” as a significant step toward full EU membership, according to The Guardian.
