The European Parliament has just called for targeted EU reform to prepare it for the accession of new members. MEP Sandro Gozi (Mouvement Démocrate, France), who initiated the report on Institutional consequences of EU enlargement negotiations, highlights the need to revisit the way Europe works: “As Commissioner Kos said, the Commission also sees enlargement as a catalyst for progress in terms of our capacity to act, our policies and our spending programmes. Together with Parliament, they took the lead in enlargement. Now Parliament wants them to take the lead in reform as well. A Europe of 30 or more members will have to be a different Europe—more manageable, more powerful, more democratic.”
The Gozi Report lists a series of reforms needed for that to happen. An enlarged European Union will have to be made more efficient in the way decisions are taken, limit vetoes to areas where they are really necessary only, and strenghten the defence of its security and values. It also underlines that this transformation must go hand in hand with a stronger democratic legitimacy, giving citizens a more direct voice in shaping the EU’s future.
As Gozi explained in plenary, this reflection is not only about enlargement, but about how to make our Union fit for the challenges of the 21st century, more united and able to act on the global stage. History shows that every step of European expansion has been preceded by essential internal reforms, from the Treaty of Nice to the Treaty of Lisbon, and this dynamic must continue. It is important to note that Parliament’s proposals are targeted and realistic — there is little political apetite for wholesale reform, so the focus must be a few key Treaty amendments, while other improvements are pursued through flexibilities offered by the current Treaties, like passerelle clauses and enhanced cooperation mechanisms.
The report also insists on maintaining unanimity for fundamental decisions such as the opening of accession negotiations, out of respect for member states’ sovereignty, while extending qualified majority voting in selected policy areas to make the Union more effective and responsive. Sandro Gozi concludes: “We demand a lot from countries that want to join. The reform efforts on our side must follow suit. It is time to act for a better-organised, better-represented and stronger Europe, ready for its next stage of enlargement.”
