Five European Union member states are proposing the introduction of temporary limitations on voting rights for future member states of the bloc and intervention clauses in case of deviation from European rules. The information appears in a joint document signed by Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, IPN reports, citing Reuters.
The proposal comes against the backdrop of discussions within the European Union about the future of expansion, with the document also mentioning the Republic of Moldova, alongside Albania, Montenegro and Ukraine. The initiative targets future accession treaties that could include additional control mechanisms, such as stricter monitoring of compliance with the acquis and a clause that would allow interventions in case of deviations from democratic principles, including in areas such as press freedom, corruption or the functioning of the rule of law.
Another idea discussed is the temporary limitation of the voting rights of new members in areas where decisions are made by consensus, such as foreign policy, the European Union budget or the enlargement process.
Discussions on safety measures are taking place in parallel with preparations for the official opening of accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova. The Presidency of the EU Council, held by Cyprus, previously launched preparations for the opening of the first cluster of chapters, Fundamental Values, which targets key areas such as the rule of law, the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform and justice. The official opening of this cluster is expected in the coming days.
