EU prepares roadmaps for Ukraine and three other countries to join

The European Union wants to make the accession process for new countries faster and clearer. For Ukraine, a separate plan may be drawn up with specific steps and approximate dates for completing key stages of negotiations.

Politico reports this, citing senior European Commission officials.

The new approach is planned to be applied to Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania. These four countries are currently the most advanced on the path to EU membership.

They want to prepare a separate “roadmap” for each of them. It will specify what steps the country should take and when it will be able to approximately complete individual stages of the negotiations.

The requirements will not only apply to candidates. EU countries should also not delay their advancement if all the necessary conditions are met.

Other candidates, including Serbia, Georgia, Turkey, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo, have yet to receive such schedules.

Brussels is also discussing the possibility of giving candidate countries some of the benefits of membership even before official accession. In particular, it concerns economic opportunities and participation in certain EU projects.

According to Politico, the European Union wants to accelerate enlargement, in particular due to the threat from Russia, the growing influence of China and tense relations with the United States. Brussels also fears that the long-awaited accession could disappoint candidate countries.

Specific proposals on how the EU itself should prepare for enlargement are planned to be presented on October 6. They will be discussed by the leaders of the European Union countries at a summit in Brussels on October 15-16.

The EU is also considering additional safeguards and transition periods in case a new country violates the bloc’s rules after joining.