EU Commission Drafts Enlargement Reform Proposals to Regain Control of Debate

The European Commission is preparing proposals to reform the EU enlargement process in an effort to reassert its role in a debate that has increasingly been shaped by member state. Three EU officials told Euro News. Six EU founding members have proposed strengthening existing safeguards to prevent democratic backsliding and breaches of the rule of law. Lessons drawn from Victor Orban's Hungary. They have proposed swift penalties including the suspension of EU funding and even voting rights in the institutional decision-making process. Other measures less controversial among European governments include the potential extension of transitional periods limited dergation from the full

application of EU law. One of the most significant transitional arrangements likely to be extended, for example, concerns the ability of other EU countries to temporarily restrict labor market access for workers from new member states. Another idea on the table is making participation to the European Public Prosecutor's Office mandatory for new member states. Currently, 24 out of 27 member states are part of this body. How other member states would receive the commission's move remains an open question. Some capitals may welcome the commission taking the initiative. Others may see it as a power grab to regain control of the discussion.