EU to curb veto rights for future members like Montenegro

The European Union is considering a temporary suspension of the veto for new member states for several years to make future enlargements more politically acceptable. The European Commission’s draft plan would deny automatic veto power on foreign‑policy and unanimity matters to countries such as Moldova and the Western Balkans after they join. The proposal is especially relevant for Montenegro, the lead candidate among nine official EU aspirants, which aims to become the 28th member by 2028.

A technical team drafting Montenegro’s accession treaty met for the first time this month, signalling that the 14‑year negotiation process is entering its final phase. The idea follows difficulties with Hungary’s recent use of the veto on major EU decisions, including a €90 billion loan to Ukraine. German politician Friedrich Merz wrote EU leaders urging “innovative solutions” to speed up Western Balkan accession and also called for “associate membership for Ukraine,” the Guardian reports.