# EU Proposes Reforms for New Members

> EU plans reforms to speed up new member countries joining bloc by 2028.
- Title: EU Proposes Reforms for New Members · Dw | Shortify
- Summary: EU plans reforms to speed up new member countries joining bloc by 2028. EU Commission proposes reforms to allow candidate countries to join faster while…
- Keywords: eu enlargement, montenegro, moldova, ukraine, eu commission, qualified majority voting, strategic alignment, democratic safeguards, news, world, politics, Proposes
- Source: Dw — https://dw.com/en/eu-enlargement-european-commission-tables-reforms-to-prepare-bloc-for-new-members/a-79582493?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: eu enlargement, montenegro, moldova, ukraine, eu commission, qualified majority voting, strategic alignment, democratic safeguards, news, world, politics
## EU Enlargement Review
EU Commission presented pre-enlargement policy review results on Tuesday.

> gradual integration is not a substitute for full membership. it is the accelerator for enlargement
## Current Candidate Countries
Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine are frontrunners to join bloc with Montenegro expected to join by 2028.
## EU's Integration Strategy
Commission proposes gradual access to membership benefits for candidate countries meeting eu standards.

> gradual integration is not a substitute for full membership. it is the accelerator for enlargement
## Qualified Majority Voting
EU wants to replace unanimity with qualified majority voting for faster decision-making.

> every cluster that you open is subject to three individual decisions, and every single decision is subject to unanimity. it's mind-blowing, and i think this clearly needs to go
## Strategic Alignment
Candidate countries must align with eu foreign policy and economic security standards to join.

> trading gas with russia is simply not something that builds trust with the european union
## Democratic Safeguards
EU plans 15-year period for easier sanctions on new members to prevent democratic backsliding.

> no more viktor orban. we have to have quicker mechanisms than only article 7
## Montenegro Timeline
Montenegro could join eu as early as 2028 after current negotiations with eu.
## Next Steps
European Council will discuss proposals on october 15-16 to finalize enlargement reforms.
## Key takeaway

EU Commission proposes reforms to allow candidate countries to join faster while maintaining democratic standards and reducing risks of backsliding.