EU Commission unveils plan to speed enlargement and reshape accession voting

The European Commission has presented a set of recommendations intended to prepare the Union for expansion beyond its current membership. The package proposes a faster accession process for the closest candidates, including phased access to internal‑market sectors and conditional requirements such as compliance with the EU sanctions regime and foreign‑policy alignment. It also outlines a shift in the voting system for accession talks, moving most decisions from unanimity to qualified‑majority voting while keeping unanimity only at the opening and final stages, with an emergency‑brake mechanism for vital national interests. The proposals aim to keep the enlargement agenda alive amid political fatigue and rising far‑right sentiment, and to adapt the bloc’s institutions, policies and budget for future members.