European Commission draft offers candidate countries phased access to single market
A Commission draft links earlier market integration and research access to alignment with the bloc against hostile states and industrial competitors.
The European Commission has drafted a plan to grant candidate countries phased access to the EU single market, on the condition that they align with the bloc against hostile states and industrial rivals, the proposal shows.
Early integration, conditional on geopolitical alignment
The draft envisages an unprecedented, gradual opening of the EU’s economic space to countries that have been waiting—some for decades—to become members. Benefits would include frictionless trade and access to EU research programmes, combined with closer industrial cooperation.
"The single market is the first priority for economic convergence. Earlier integration would open opportunities for businesses in the Union, strengthen European value chains and reduce strategic dependencies. The Commission will identify where confirmed regulatory alignment and enforcement capacity allow deeper participation in research, innovation and industrial cooperation, as well as wider access to the market," the draft plan says.
Under the proposal, the Commission would assess which candidate states have the necessary regulatory alignment and implementation capacity to participate more deeply in specific parts of the market — for example research and innovation initiatives or sectoral industrial cooperation — while safeguarding the Union’s strategic interests.
Proponents argue that earlier market integration could create immediate business opportunities inside the EU and help reduce dependencies on external suppliers, but the plan ties those gains to political and strategic conditions that will be sensitive for both candidate countries and member states.
Photo: SDK.MK)
