The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a new, stricter methodology for European Union accession negotiations, which was France's condition to open negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania.

In October last year Paris blocked the launching of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania contrary to the majority of EU member states and the EC’s assessment that both countries had done their homework. Macedonia was renamed North Macedonia and Albania is implementing an extensive reform of its judiciary.

The majority of member states and heads of European institutions said that that was a “historic mistake,” particularly due to the growing influence of China and Russia in the Balkans.

However, France was adamant that the EU should change its negotiation methodology and underlined that neither country was doing enough to combat corruption.

France’s main demand was that the negotiation process should be reversible if a candidate country began to relapse in meeting European standards as has been the case over the past few years with Turkey. In that case, the negotiations could be suspended partially or entirely and European funding would hence be decreased.

The EC’s proposal on Wednesday is very similar to an unofficial document that France had sent to member states, outlining its demands.

Grouping chapters

The main novelty in the negotiation process is grouping negotiating chapters in six thematic clusters. There would still be 35 chapters but negotiations would not unfold by opening one chapter at a time but rather one cluster of chapters at a time. Several thematic clusters may be opened at the same time though.

The most important cluster, which would be the first to be opened and the last to be closed, is a cluster on fundamentals including the rule of law, economic criteria and public administration reform.

The other five clusters include: internal market; competitiveness and inclusive growth; green agenda and sustainable connectivity; resources, agriculture and cohesion; external relations.

The time frame between opening a cluster and closing the individual chapters should be limited, preferably to one year at the most, depending on the progress of the reforms.

The proposal also contains incentives for candidate countries such as accelerated integration and inclusion in individual EU policies, market and programmes, with equal conditions for all stakeholders, and increased funding and investments.

The more candidates advance in their reforms, the more they will advance in the accession process.

Sanctions

The EC, however, proposes more decisive measures to sanction any grave or lasting stagnation or regression in reforms or meeting accession criteria.

Negotiations could be suspended or even stopped while already closed chapters could be reopened and any benefits that had been allocated could be withdrawn and funding reduced.

The reversibility of the process, one of France’s main demands, had already existed.

In negotiations with Serbia and Montenegro constant monitoring is applied in negotiations on Chapters 23 and 24, which refer to home affairs and the rule of law, and if progress is not made, negotiations can be suspended and the provisionally closed chapters can be reopened.

The EC also announced that prior to the Zagreb summit in May, it would present an economic development and investment plan for Western Balkan countries.

The EC also proposes more frequent meetings with heads of state of Western Balkan countries and greater involvement of EU member states in monitoring progress in candidate countries.

Opening negotiations

The Commission hopes member states will endorse the proposal and make a decision to open accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania before the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Zagreb, set for 6-7 May.

Whether France, Denmark and The Netherlands will agree to the EC’s proposal is yet to be seen.

By the end of the month the EC will release an additional report on progress by North Macedonia and Albania, which should also facilitate the Council of the EU’s decision on the launching of negotiations with the two countries.

The decision to open accession talks itself does not necessarily mean that the negotiations will be opened then but a date will be defined.

The new methodology will be incorporated into the negotiating frameworks for North Macedonia and Albania.

The Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, said that the proposal was not made merely to appease France. This is not just a French issue but a European one, he said.

As regards Serbia and Montenegro, who are already in the negotiation process, they can decide for themselves whether they will open individual chapters or in clusters as proposed.