Dossier
enlargement reform
Coverage of enlargement reform in the Nexus archive.
- EU inches toward ‘membership-lite’ plan for candidate countries
EU leaders are considering a proposal to grant candidate countries partial benefits of membership, such as observer status in EU institutions and limited access to the Single Market, to maintain their motivation during the lengthy accession process. The plan, led by France and Germany, aims to expedite EU enlargement for Western Balkan nations but has sparked concerns about creating 'second-class' members without full representation.