European officials are informally debating whether countries in the Western Balkans could join the European Union without full veto rights, an idea that has yet to be made public but has already drawn cautious support from at least two regional leaders eager to accelerate accession.
Under current EU treaties, major decisions – including the admission of new members – require unanimity among all member states, giving each country the power to block them.
The proposal under discussion would allow gradual integration, potentially granting access to the EU’s single market before full membership rights are conferred, according to EU officials familiar with the talks. The discussions have surfaced in the broader geopolitical context of efforts to secure peace in Ukraine, led by the United States, where Kyiv’s possible EU membership has been floated as part of a future settlement with Russia.
Although the EU is not formally at the negotiating table, U.S. officials have informally confirmed to journalists that Ukraine’s integration into the bloc has been discussed as part of a prospective peace framework.
Ten countries are currently in the EU enlargement process: the six Western Balkan states, alongside Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. Turkey’s accession talks have been effectively frozen for years.
It remains unclear whether any readiness by Brussels to open the door more quickly to Ukraine could spill over into the Western Balkans.
Commission cautious on criteria
Asked whether accession criteria for Balkan candidates might be relaxed, a spokesperson for the European Commission said enlargement is now viewed not only in economic terms but also as a matter of security.
“Enlargement brings clear benefits both to member states and to aspiring countries,” the spokesperson said, adding that in the current geopolitical climate the EU must ensure its approach is “fit for purpose.”
The Commission confirmed that Ukraine’s future EU membership is part of broader discussions linked to a so-called “Prosperity Framework,” a joint U.S.-European initiative designed to provide Kyiv with financial and security guarantees after the war.
Behind the scenes, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has advocated revisiting veto rights for future members to ease accession, according to an EU official familiar with the matter. Kos has not publicly commented on the idea, and officials say there is no consensus among the EU’s 27 member states.
Some officials say Commission President Ursula von der Leyen could support such a move if it were deemed necessary to secure a peace deal in Ukraine – but only if member states were willing to consider it.
Under one scenario being discussed, candidates would initially gain access to the EU’s single market – established in 1993 and built on the free movement of goods, services, capital and people – while accepting enhanced monitoring until they meet all criteria for full membership.
However, legal experts note that the current EU treaties do not provide for partial membership or membership without veto rights. Any such change would require unanimous agreement to amend the treaties, a politically fraught prospect.
North Macedonia’s veto frustration
For North Macedonia, the debate touches on long-standing frustration.
A candidate since 2005, Skopje was told in 2009 it could open accession talks once it resolved a name dispute with Greece. The dispute was settled in 2018, but Bulgaria subsequently blocked progress, citing disagreements over language and historical issues and demanding constitutional changes to recognise a Bulgarian minority.
The government in Skopje said it was ready to adapt to possible changes within the EU framework.
“In essence, this would mean membership and institutional presence in the EU from 2027, but with limited decision-making capacity, gradual and conditional integration, and strong monitoring until full alignment,” the government said in a statement.
Serbia’s rule-of-law hurdle
For Serbia, the rule of law remains the central obstacle.
Recent amendments to judicial laws backed by President Aleksandar Vučić have drawn criticism from Brussels, which said the changes undermine judicial independence and represent a step backwards in the accession process.
EU officials have warned that three new negotiating clusters will not be opened until the issue is resolved.
Vučić, however, has signalled openness to relinquishing Serbia’s veto right if that would facilitate membership. In an interview with Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Feb. 16, he said access to the single market and the free movement of goods, people and capital were Serbia’s primary goals.
Albania and Montenegro diverge
Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has also said in recent weeks that Tirana would be prepared to forgo veto rights in exchange for faster integration. Albania has opened all negotiation chapters and is awaiting their closure, alongside Montenegro.
Montenegro, widely seen as the frontrunner among Western Balkan candidates, is aiming to complete negotiations by the end of the decade. Its European Affairs Minister, Maida Gorčević, said Podgorica remains committed to full membership on an equal footing.
“Our goal is clear: full membership, on an equal basis with all existing member states,” she said.
Bosnia and Kosovo hopeful
Bosnia and Herzegovina was granted candidate status in December 2022, shortly after Ukraine, despite failing to meet all prior conditions. Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković has voiced support for phased membership without veto rights, arguing it would attract investment and stem emigration.
Kosovo, which applied for membership in 2022, remains without candidate status, as five EU member states do not recognise its independence. Deputy Foreign Minister Kreshnik Ahmeti said granting candidate status would send a signal that Western Balkan states are treated equally based on merit.
Legal limits
Analysts caution that without treaty change, the EU cannot admit new members on unequal terms.
“The member states have not yet made a fundamental political decision on whether, when and under what conditions they want to admit new members,” said Adi Ćerimagić of the Berlin-based European Stability Initiative.
While alternative models – including phased accession or post-accession monitoring – are being discussed within EU institutions, he said the details remain unclear.
Under the current legal framework, any country completing accession talks would join with full rights and obligations.
Absent unanimous agreement to amend the treaties, so-called “semi-membership” remains, for now, a political debate rather than a legal reality.