The European Union is exploring plans to deny future member states veto rights for several years after accession, in a bid to make enlargement more politically palatable. The measure, under consideration by the European Commission, would apply to prospective members such as Moldova and Western Balkan countries, preventing them from automatically vetoing foreign policy decisions or other unanimity issues like taxation.
Montenegro, the frontrunner among nine official EU candidate countries, is pushing to become the 28th member state by 2028. A technical group tasked with drafting its accession treaty met for the first time this month, signalling that 14 years of negotiations are entering the final stages. EU officials are considering safeguards to prevent new joiners from blocking decisions, drawing lessons from Hungary's repeated vetoes, including a €90bn loan for Ukraine.
A time-limited ban on veto powers could be written into Montenegro's accession treaty, serving as a template for other candidates. However, the safeguard is considered legally borderline and could only be temporary to avoid creating second-class EU members. Separately, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for 'innovative solutions' to accelerate EU accession for Western Balkan countries, proposing 'associate membership for Ukraine' without voting rights. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected this, insisting on full and equal membership.
EU enlargement stalled until Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine injected urgency into membership talks. The Commission has suggested admitting new members by 2030, with Montenegro and Albania as frontrunners. Delaying veto powers is one of several safeguards being discussed to ease acceptance among existing member states, particularly France, where only 43% of respondents favour enlargement according to a recent Eurobarometer survey.
EU officials argue creative thinking is needed to make enlargement happen, especially in the Western Balkans, a region of 17.4 million people where Russia and China are vying for influence. One diplomat described delaying veto rights as a 'constructive solution', while another noted debates on ensuring enlargement benefits both candidates and the EU. Germany has led calls for internal EU reform, including abolishing vetoes in foreign policy, warning that an unreformed union of 35+ countries would lead to gridlock.
