News: Bled Strategic Forum, Michel: EU and Western Balkans must prepare for enlargement by 2030

At the Strategic Forum in Bled on 28 and 29 August in Slovenia, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, commented on the next steps towards European enlargement to the Western Balkans.

Michel stressed that, to have credibility, “we must talk about timing and homework”, and stated that, by 2030, both sides must be ready for enlargement.

For the European Union, this means that “EU’s next long-term budget will need to include” this common goal, while for the Western Balkans this means continuing on the path of reform, but above all proceed along the path of reconciliation for past conflicts that risk to damage the internal stability of the European Union.

Although a simultaneous entry of the "future Member States" - Michel continues - is desirable, it is not possible because of the different stages of the candidate countries in their journey to accession. One solution, according to the President of the European Council, could be the so-called "confidence clause" in the Accession Treaties, treaties “to ensure that countries that have just joined cannot block the accession of future member states”.

President Michel also talked about the “progressive integration”, which means the opportunity, for candidate countries, to be integrated “into specific EU policy areas once membership conditions are fulfilled”.

Michel concluded commenting on the possibility of eliminating the unanimous vote, clarifying that "unity is at the heart of the strength of the European Union” and declaring that "constructive abstention" can be a valid tool not to hinder unanimity.

Photo credits: Unión Europea en Perú from Lima, Perú, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons