The European Commission has postponed to February the publishing of its new methodology aimed at modifying the path followed by candidate countries towards EU accession, EWB reported.
The new methodology was planned to be published on January 29 but the draft proposal is not completed yet. According to Ana Pisonero, Spokesperson of the European Commission, the new methodology is expected to “make the enlargement process more credible, which means that if one party fulfills its obligations and the other party has to do its part.”
The EU leaders failed to agree on opening accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia last year. French President Emmanuel Macron said that the EU needs to reform the way candidate countries become EU members, and the process needs to be reversible once they fail to comply with EU values and laws.
Among other things, the new methodology will aim at bringing France and other countries skeptical about further EU enlargement to an agreement on opening accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia before the EU-Balkan summit scheduled for May.
