EU Expresses Concerns Over Risks of Rapid Expansion

Several countries in the European Union are opposed to the rapid expansion of the bloc, fearing that the admission of new members could become a "Trojan horse" for the EU. Politico reports, citing European officials.

According to the publication, despite public support for EU enlargement, France, Germany, and the Netherlands are against the swift admission of new members. The concern is that once power shifts occur in these new member countries, they may obstruct or block key EU decisions.

One diplomat interviewed by Politico noted that the prolonged nature of the expansion process is due to the necessity of thoroughly checking the preparedness of potential new members. Meanwhile, the European Commission is developing updated rules for new members, which are expected to be presented to EU leaders on October 15 during the European Council meeting. These rules aim to mitigate the risks associated with decision-making and resource allocation after enlargement.

It is also mentioned that Hungary has yet to approve the opening of all negotiation clusters regarding the membership of Ukraine and Moldova. The EU has not admitted a new member in the past 13 years. Recently, discussions within the bloc have intensified regarding how prepared the EU is for the admission of new countries and what changes are needed in the enlargement process.