Emerging from extensive consultations on specific elements of the Model, the revised Template 2.0 presents a comprehensive proposal for amending the EU’s current accession policy. It outlines the overall structure of the Staged Accession Model, providing new specifications on the EU’s ‘fundamentals first’ approach. It defines the ‘essential elements’ of the proposal, which represent the minimum requirements for a successful revision of the enlargement policy to achieve the Model’s objectives. It elaborates on the two pre-accession stages and the benefits of gradual institutional participation, along with increased funding as incentives for (potential) candidates to pursue challenging fundamental reforms. Finally, the paper reviews proposals for innovating the overall governance of the EU’s enlargement policy and concludes by making important recommendations to the EU institutions, Member States, and candidates for the EU, aiming to restore the credibility and effectiveness of what was once its most successful foreign policy. Read more here.
Source: European Policy Center (EPC)