The European Commission is proposing a new approach to the enlargement of the European Union that could speed up Ukraine's integration, but at the same time foresee special restrictions for Ukrainian agriculture. The presented review does not change the basic EU treaties, but looks for opportunities in existing European law.
The document leaves the final decision to the governments of the 27 member states. However, it recognizes that the EU has the capacity to accept new members, including a large country like Ukraine, without jeopardizing the functioning of the union.
Gradual integration before full membership
One of the main ideas is that candidates who make progress with reforms should gradually gain access to the internal market and separate decision-making mechanisms. Among the leading candidates mentioned are Ukraine, Moldova, Albania and Montenegro.
The Commission also proposes a more active use of the “Passerelle“ clauses - a mechanism provided for in the EU treaties that allows for a shift from unanimity to majority voting in certain areas. However, its activation initially requires the agreement of all 27 member states.
This approach is unlikely to immediately speed up the Ukrainian negotiations. The European Union aims to open all Ukrainian negotiating clusters by the end of 2026, while the adoption and implementation of the new mechanism may take longer.
Safeguard mechanisms for new members
The proposal also discusses special rules for newly acceded countries. They can be included in the accession treaties and be in effect for up to 15 years after membership.
In the event of a retreat from the reforms, a temporary freeze of participation in certain EU policies, financial sanctions and restrictions on access to certain funds are envisaged. In the case of the most serious violations of fundamental principles, including the rule of law, the right to vote is also suspended.
The Commission also proposes that new members, for a certain period, not block decisions on future enlargement or not transfer bilateral disputes within the EU. This idea is mainly aimed at the countries of the Western Balkans.
Special regime for Ukrainian agriculture
The most controversial element for Kiev is the proposal for a separate regime for the Ukrainian agricultural sector. The European Commission allows for restrictions on financial support for Ukrainian producers and access to the European market for sensitive agricultural products.
The Commission's technical document states that including the current volume of Ukrainian production would increase EU soybean and sunflower seed production by 150 percent. For corn, the projected increase is 50 percent, and for wheat - 28 percent.
The document also states that Ukrainian agriculture is organized around large competitive farms that cultivate a total of over 15 million hectares. This would increase pressure on the budget of the Common Agricultural Policy, built mainly around the model of small family farms.
Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy Taras Vysotsky states that the country will not accept permanent restrictions on the conditions for its membership. According to him, such a measure would contradict the logic of full membership.
„The new member state should have the same rights as the others. There should not be several levels of membership in the European Union“, said EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos.Talks are underway between the member states and Ukraine. Mechanisms for the agricultural sector should be discussed before the opening of Cluster 5, which covers resources, agriculture and cohesion policy.
Source: eurointegration.com.ua