BRUSSELS – The unofficial French proposal and other proposals on possible revisions to the accession process of the Western Balkan countries – these are some of the topics discussed at the General Affairs Council meeting on Tuesday 19 November.
After the meeting, French, Dutch and Austrian ministers told journalists that the new European Commission should discuss the French non-paper on the new methodology and the idea of revamping the accession process.
French Europe Minister Amélie de Montchalin told reporters that all ministers agreed that the enlargement process would be reorganized in the future. She also stressed that the Western Balkan countries have unquestionable prospects of joining the EU.
“The EU calls on countries in the region to proceed simultaneously with the implementation of reforms,” De Montchalin said, adding that reforms in the region and the review of the process must continue simultaneously.
“Next spring, we will clearly know to what extent North Macedonia and Albania will have implemented the required reforms,” said the French minister.
When asked if the new methodology also applied to Serbia and Montenegro, which are already negotiating membership based on a negotiated framework, De Montchalin said she “thinks these countries might be interested if the new European Commission proposed this new methodology”.
EU ministers also take stock of work on the next multiannual financial framework and the state of play of enlargement and the stabilization and association process, following the European Council meeting of October this year, during which Albania and North Macedonia did not obtain the green light authorization to begin accession negotiations with the EU.
The General Affairs Council also discussed progress made in the work on the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027, with a focus on strengthening respect for the rule of law in the EU and assessing the dialogue annual meeting of the Rule of Law Council.
At the General Affairs Council meeting on 19 November 2019, discussions did not result in consensus on the conclusions relating to the evaluation of the annual rule of law dialogue. However, the presidency concluded that the text was supported or not by 26 delegations.
