European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament on Wednesday that next month she would present ideas for reforming the Union to make it ready to function with 30 plus member states.

We will start working on our own reforms to prepare for additional member states, the EC president said, adding that the ideas would be unveiled next month ahead of a discussion of EU leaders, to be organised by the current Belgian Presidency of the EU.

According to von der Leyen, the EU has been drawing up its own reforms to make itself ready for functioning upon the next round of enlargement following its decisions on opening accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova and its decision to open accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina, once it meets the necessary conditions.

The European Union has confirmed that Western Balkan countries as well as Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia should become its members.

The 27-strong union now adopts decisions in a difficult manner, and it will be even more difficult for the enlarged union with 30-odd members to make decisions. Therefore it has been underscored that the EU must prepare for the enlargement in parallel with preparations by membership aspirants.

“At the last European Council we also agreed to launch accession negotiations with Ukraine, Moldova ad Bosnia and Herzegovina when the necessary criteria are met. We have granted the candidate status to Georgia and we have confirmed our collective commitment to the future where all six Western Balkan partners are part of our Union. How will a Union of 30-plus countries work in practice? Only we inside the European Union can answer this question,” von der Leyen said in Strasbourg.