The European Union (EU) faces a critical juncture marked by geopolitical shifts,
transnational crises, and internal complexities. For geopolitical reasons, EU enlargement is
high on the political agenda, but the EU is not ready yet to welcome new members, neither
institutionally nor policy wise. Against this backdrop, a ‘working group on EU institutional
reforms’ was convened by the French and German governments. In September 2023, after
several months of deliberation, ‘The Group of Twelve’ submitted the results of its work
with this report.
Recognising the complexity of aligning diverse Member States' visions for the EU, the
report recommends a flexible EU reform and enlargement process. It highlights the need
for immediate action to improve the EU's functionality, proposing a list of initial steps
before the next European elections. More substantial reforms – including preparations for
treaty revisions – should be implemented during the new legislative term (2024 to 2029).
The report’s recommendations are aimed at achieving three goals: increasing the EU’s
capacity to act, getting the EU enlargement ready, and strengthening the rule of law and
the EU’s democratic legitimacy. The report is structured into three main sections, dealing
with the rule of law, institutional reforms, and the process to reform, deepen and enlarge
the EU.
20.500.12592/36t8nc
Sailing on High Seas: Reforming and Enlarging the EU for the 21st Century
18 Sep 2023
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Citation
Reform, F.-G., 2023. Sailing on High Seas: Reforming and Enlarging the EU for the 21st Century, Franco-German Working Group on EU Institutional Reform.
Retrieved from https://policycommons.net/artifacts/4825327/paper-eu-reform/5662043/ on 10 May 2024. CID: 20.500.12592/36t8nc.