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European Commission Eyes “Gradual Integration” to Speed Up EU Enlargement Process
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The European Commission is preparing proposals to grant economic benefits to EU candidate countries ahead of full accession, as member states seek ways to accelerate enlargement without lowering membership standards, as reported by POLITICO on June 26.
The initiative is part of a broader push for so-called “gradual integration,” under which candidate countries would receive expanded access to EU programmes and markets in exchange for advancing key reforms during the accession process, according to two officials familiar with internal discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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Under the proposed framework, candidate states could gain access to selected EU funding instruments, preferential trade arrangements, and limited entry to the single market prior to full membership. The exact scope of benefits would be adjusted depending on each country’s progress in implementing required political and economic reforms.
The objective, officials said, is to maintain momentum in enlargement policy by providing tangible incentives for difficult reforms, even in cases where full accession remains a long-term prospect.
The approach is also intended to sustain engagement with candidate countries such as Ukraine, whose membership path is expected to take several years despite strong political support, without offering immediate accession timelines, POLITICO reported.
At the same time, European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius has called for Ukraine’s immediate integration into a new European security framework, arguing that this should not depend on the country’s full accession to either the EU or NATO.
Speaking at discussions outlined by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense on June 18, Kubilius contrasted this vision with what he described as Europe’s fragmented defense structure, comprising 27 separate military budgets, 27 national armies, and 27 veto systems, which he said is strategically unsustainable.
“Now Ukraine has the strongest army not only because it has the bravest soldiers and the smartest commanders, but also because it has the strongest innovative defense industry. Therefore, Europe should also be highly interested in integrating it into the European defense industry,” Kubilius said.
Previously, Ukraine and the European Union have formally launched negotiations on the “Fundamentals” cluster, marking an important step in Ukraine’s accession process toward full EU membership.
The cluster represents the initial phase of the accession negotiations and is intended to be the last to close. It covers five of the 33 negotiating chapters and focuses on key democratic and rule-of-law principles that form the foundation of EU membership.
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