EU Commission floats democracy safeguards as bloc considers expansion

The European Commission’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The commission is reportedly pitching measures to protect the EU from any efforts by future members to weaken democratic structures.

BRUSSELS - The European Commission is pitching measures to protect the EU from any efforts by future members to weaken democratic structures and prevent them vetoing decisions, according to a draft document seen by Reuters.

As Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova make progress on their European Union accession bids, the bloc is examining the implications of expansion and whether to change its rules for new members.

“Enlargement strengthens Europe,” the Commission wrote in a draft document on preparing for a bigger EU.

“A larger membership also places greater demands on decision-making, administration, enforcement, infrastructure and financing.”

The draft, which could still be changed, is part of a package the Commission is expected to present next week.

EU governments have signalled that they want to minimise the risks from any democratic backsliding and foreign policy shifts by new members following the bloc’s difficulties with Hungary under Viktor Orban, voted out in April after 16 years in charge.

Some governments are also seeking to shield businesses and citizens in existing member states from any abrupt shifts as a result of enlargement.

The Commission is considering proposing new tools, including a “temporary political commitment” where a new member would make a declaration that, for a limited period, it would not oppose consensus decisions.

It is considering a safeguard clause that, for a period after accession, would allow existing member states to suspend a new member’s rights, including voting rights, with a “qualified majority” of 15 of the 27 members, representing 65% of the bloc’s population.

New accession treaties could include time-limited safeguards in areas such as free movement of workers and agriculture, the Commission document said.

The Commission also reiterated its call for member states to make decision-making in the EU easier by allowing qualified-majority votes on issues such as sanctions - an area where Hungary often made use of its veto.

The Commission, the EU executive, added the rider that “greater use of qualified-majority voting should be accompanied by appropriate safety measures for essential national interests”.

The document also calls for a more systematic approach to gradual integration of future members into EU programmes before they formally join, notably in areas such as defence, energy and transport. REUTERS