The European Commission on Tuesday proposed a new framework for future EU enlargement that would allow candidate countries to gradually integrate into selected EU policies before full membership, while subjecting new member states to stronger safeguards for up to 15 years after accession.

Under the proposed framework, new EU members could face an extended period of safeguards after accession, during which the bloc could take measures if a country seriously backslides on commitments made during accession negotiations, particularly on the rule of law, democracy, or fundamental rights.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said the commission wants to ensure that countries joining the EU do not fall below the standards required for membership.

"We do not want a two-tier membership," Kos told a press conference in Brussels, stressing that both existing and new member states should enjoy equal rights.

She said the proposed safeguards would act as an "insurance policy" that could be activated if serious breaches occur.

The measures could include restricting financial support or, in the most serious cases, suspending a new member state's voting rights in the EU Council.

The commission is proposing safeguards covering a period of up to 15 years, while emphasizing that the specific transitional arrangements would have to be negotiated between the EU and each accession country and included in the relevant accession treaty or regulations. Gradual integration before full membership Alongside the safeguards, the commission is proposing a more ambitious approach to the gradual integration of candidate countries into the EU.

Kos described gradual integration as an "accelerator for enlargement and a bridge" between the EU's geopolitical objective of stabilizing Europe and its merit-based accession process.

Candidate countries that make sufficient progress on reforms and demonstrate strategic alignment with the EU could be allowed to participate in selected EU policies before becoming full members.

The commission plans to explore deeper integration in strategic sectors including energy, transport, artificial intelligence, security, and defense.

"Gradual integration is not a substitute for full membership," Kos stressed, adding that participation would remain "conditional, merit-based and reversible." Kos identified Montenegro, Albania, Moldova, and Ukraine as the four most advanced candidates for EU membership and said it intends to publish indicative roadmaps for them. Bloc seeks faster decision-making The package also calls for changes to EU decision-making to prepare the bloc for a larger membership.

The commission said it would continue advocating the use of so-called passerelle clauses to move from unanimity to qualified majority voting in areas including sanctions, tax fraud, and certain fiscal measures in energy policy.

It also proposed using qualified majority voting for opening negotiating clusters and other intermediary decisions in accession negotiations.

The package will now feed into discussions among EU member states, the European Parliament, and the EU Council on the institutional and policy changes required for future enlargement.