An Operational Integration Agenda for the Western Balkans to Facilitate Implementation of the Differentiated Model of Integration

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has prompted the European Union to re-evaluate and accelerate its enlargement policy, bringing renewed attention to the accession prospects of the Western Balkans and Eastern Neighbourhood countries of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. The proposal by European Council President Charles Michel to target 2030 as a potential date for both the EU and candidate countries to be ready for enlargement has generated momentum, with support from EU institutions such as the European Parliament and the Commission. However, several member states remain cautious about expanding the Union, reflecting ongoing debates about the readiness of EU institutions to admit new member states and the political implications of further enlargement.

Progress and the pace of it among candidate countries is not equal. Albania, Montenegro, and Moldova have made some advances in aligning domestic legislation with the EU acquis and implementing key reforms, and are as such considered frontrunners. In contrast, countries such as Georgia and Serbia have experienced setbacks, particularly in areas related to democratic functioning of public institutions and the rule of law. On the EU’s side, preparations for enlargement are still incomplete. Critical questions remain regarding institutional adaptation, such as the future size and composition of the European Parliament and the Commission, and the integration of new members into complex policy areas like the Common Agricultural Policy. Some leaders, including Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama, have expressed openness to differentiated membership models involving limited voting rights in EU institutions’ decision-making, such as abstaining from veto powers.1

Against this backdrop, an independent Franco-German group of experts—known as the “Group of Twelve”—has published a comprehensive study on EU reforms in September 2023.2 Their analysis underscores that the EU, in its current institutional and policy arrangement, is not prepared to absorb new members. The report advocates for a flexible, phased reform agenda and includes immediate measures that should be implemented before the next EU elections to enhance EU’s internal functioning mainly by simplifying decision-making of its institutions. It also recommends more substantial reforms, including potential treaty changes, for the 2024–2029 legislative cycle, already, an ambitious timeline considering it is 2026 and no steps have been taken in this direction.

With respect to enlargement, the report calls for a credible, merit-based process, setting 2030 as a target for both the EU and candidate countries to be ready for accession. It proposes a “regatta” approach—breaking down accession into smaller, manageable groups—and insists that adherence to the rule of law and fundamental values must remain non-negotiable. The report also supports the model of differentiated integration, envisioning a multi-tiered EU that allows for associate membership and flexible cooperation for countries not ready or willing to join fully. Ultimately, the authors warn that failure to reform and enlarge could expose the EU to deeper political crises, urging decisive action through both short-term and medium-term reforms.

It is within this context of differentiated integration that this policy memo proposes advancing “operational integration” for the Western Balkans (WB6) into the European Union (EU).

This report is produced by Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) in the framework of the IGNITA initiative, funded by Open Society Foundations—Western Balkans. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the Open Society Foundations—Western Balkans.