TIRANA, Oct 6 /ATA/ The European Commission today formally presented its “Pre-Enlargement Policy Reviews”, outlining a framework for institutional reforms, governance and safeguard mechanisms ahead of the European Union’s next enlargement.
The strategic document follows European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s recent visit to Tirana and addresses Albania’s role in the EU enlargement process.
The document confirms that the EU’s internal reforms and the progress of candidate countries will move forward in parallel, with a specific roadmap for Albania’s accession to be included in the 2026 Enlargement Package.
The comprehensive review states that the European Union’s existing policies do not require a complete structural overhaul to accommodate new members.
The EU is applying the principle of “Integration by Design”, incorporating enlargement scenarios from the outset into the development of future policies and the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).
The approach is intended to preserve the Union’s capacity to act while strengthening the role of enlargement in supporting European security and stability.
The document focuses on three key areas of reform.
First is a review of the Article 7 mechanism for serious breaches of the rule of law. Under the proposal, the European Commission would introduce “reverse qualified majority voting” (Reverse QMV) for certain decisions under the procedure, replacing the current voting arrangements.
Under this mechanism, a Commission decision to impose sanctions would take effect automatically unless member states form the required majority to block it. The aim is to make the protection of European values more effective and the mechanism easier to apply.
Second, the introduction of stricter financial safeguards. The document proposes freezing or limiting access to new EU funds if a member state or candidate country fails to meet its commitments or uphold the rule of law.
Third, the definition of rights for new EU members. Countries joining the Union would have the same rights as the 27 existing member states, including the right to appoint a European Commissioner and voting rights in decision-making.
However, the framework provides for the possibility that new member states could voluntarily commit to refraining from using their veto on issues related to bilateral disputes in the context of enlargement, thereby preventing such disputes from blocking the accession process.
The new framework also supports a merit-based model of “Gradual Integration”, which would give Albania progressive access to key EU sectors and programmes before full membership. The model envisages accelerated integration in areas such as cybersecurity, military mobility, the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and trans-European energy networks, bringing tangible economic and infrastructure benefits.
The European Commission document views strategic support for enlargement as an investment that delivers benefits for EU citizens relative to its costs. It stresses that bringing closer countries that have made the most progress in the accession process, such as Montenegro and Albania, will contribute to strengthening security and stability by expanding the European market and space.
The policy review represents a strong political signal of the European Union’s support for Albania’s progress towards its strategic “Albania 2030” objective.
Reforms and national consensus remain essential to joining the European family.
Albania remains fully committed to continuing its efforts with the same determination and dedication to meeting all the criteria and achieving the historic goal of full membership in the European Union within this decade.
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