EU Commissioner proposes veto waivers for new member states

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has prepared a reform proposal titled ‘Pre-enlargement Policy Analysis’ aimed at making a larger European Union more efficient in decision-making. The draft, expected to be presented on September 30, suggests that new member states could be required to waive their right to veto on decisions that currently require consensus.

The proposal includes protective mechanisms for the Union. If a new member demonstrates a serious regression in the rule of law, threatens EU interests, or mismanages EU funds, the European Commission could propose temporary sanctions. These measures may include the suspension of voting rights in the European Council and the Council of the EU, as well as the withholding of financial resources for a limited period.

To accelerate decision-making, the reform advocates for using qualified majority voting whenever possible instead of consensus. This would utilize existing ‘passerelle’ clauses to allow for more flexible decision-making without requiring formal changes to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, though certain areas like foreign and security policy would remain subject to unanimity.