EU leaders back greater union but avoid meetings and warn against shortcuts

GRANADA, Spain, Oct 6 (Reuters) – European Union leaders on Friday declared their support for adding new members to the bloc, but set no deadline and warned candidates like Ukraine that ‘there would be no shortcuts.

At a summit in the Spanish city of Granada, leaders of the 27-nation bloc proclaimed that EU enlargement is an “investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity.”

But they also said that the EU and potential members – which include Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkan states – should do big changes be ready for an expanded union.

“Membership candidates must step up their reform efforts, particularly in the area of ​​the rule of law,” they said in a statement. statement.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has propelled enlargement onto the EU’s agenda. Its leaders say the conflict has shown the danger of countries ending up in contested “gray zones” rather than being an integral part of the EU’s political camp.

Even as it struggles against the Russian invasion, Ukraine has made EU membership negotiations one of its top priorities. Its goal is to obtain the green light from European leaders at a summit in December.

Countries must meet legal, economic and democratic standards to join the EU – a process that takes years. Officials say the EU will also have to review its decision-making procedures and budgetary rules to accommodate new members.

Charles Michel, president of the European Council of EU leaders, proposed that the bloc should be ready to expand by 2030, saying that setting such a target would encourage both the EU and candidate countries to step up their efforts. reform efforts.

“What is important is to stop procrastinating,” Michel said at a press conference at the end of the summit.

But other leaders have been reluctant about the idea, saying the focus should be on candidate countries respecting European standards.

“The process is based on merit,” said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm. “There are clear rules, there are steps to take.”

An internal EU report says that if current rules on agricultural subsidies, regional development and other spending applied to a 35-member union, its budget would increase by 21%, or €256.8 billion additional ($271.9 billion) over seven years.

“Given that a larger EU would need more resources and new member states would become net beneficiaries of the EU budget, enlargement will have a considerable impact on the EU budget,” says the report prepared in July.

Ukraine’s accession alone could lead to an increase in spending of 186.3 billion euros ($197.23 billion) over seven years.

However, EU officials and diplomats say the budgetary configuration should be overhauled before enlargement. The report therefore serves more to illustrate the need for change than to give an accurate estimate of the cost of admitting new members.

Candidates for EU membership include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Kosovo. Some are at various stages of accession negotiations while others aim to get the green light in the coming months or years.

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