The European Commission (EC) on March 21 adopted a Communication on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews.

This document contributes to the ongoing discussion process about the internal reforms the EU will need to make to prepare for an enlarged Union.

The document looks at the implications of a larger EU in four main areas – values, policies, budget and governance – laying the ground for the pre-enlargement policy reviews announced by President von der Leyen in her 2023 State of the Union address.

“The EU must deepen as it widens. We must start preparing today for the Union of tomorrow and use enlargement as a catalyst for progress. All of Europe has gained from enlargement. It made the EU the world’s largest integrated market. It opened trade and financial flows, thereby contributing to economic growth in the EU and in acceding countries alike, and strengthened the EU’s weight in global affairs,” it reads.

Based on the document, with the enlargement, the reforms “become indispensable.”

“Enlargement is in the Union’s own strategic interest. While there are challenges, the benefits of a well-managed enlargement process span across various areas: geopolitical, economic, environmental, social and democratic. The EU has successfully managed previous enlargements, by adjusting EU policies ahead of accession, ensuring a rigorous accession process, targeted assistance and – where needed – transitions.

For these benefits to materialise, both the EU and aspiring Member States must be well-prepared, and the accession process must remain merit-based. This requires full and sustained political commitment and engagement, first and foremost from the enlargement countries, but also from the EU itself. By drawing on the lessons learned from previous enlargements and further improving our policies at 27, we are becoming better prepared for a larger Union. Notably, gradual integration has become an important element in preparing enlargement countries well ahead of accession,” reads the document.