EU outlines new phased accession plan for Western Balkans, limiting voting rights

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron presented a non‑paper at the EU‑Western Balkans summit in Tivat that proposes a phased accession process for candidate countries such as North Macedonia. The draft calls for temporary restrictions on voting rights, exclusion from EU Commission posts and other decision‑making bodies, and safeguards that would allow the bloc to intervene if democratic standards slip.

The proposal signals a shift from previous enlargement approaches, aiming to accelerate integration by using a “test‑membership” model similar to Ukraine’s pathway. It emphasizes merit‑based progress, with candidates required to meet specific criteria before gaining full membership rights. The document was authored by the EU’s core five members – Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg – and is expected to shape forthcoming negotiations on the Western Balkans’ EU future.