Sailing on High Seas: Reforming and Enlarging the EU for the 21 st

2 The connection of the further enlargement of the EU with the various reforms of the European Institutions Per the authors of the report, the EU in its current state is not ready to welcome new members, either ‘institutionally or politically’. [...] The proposed timetable (in the short term before the 2024 European elections and in the medium term after the elections of 2024-2029) is consistent with the planned enlargement process (if the mutual commitment of the EU and candidate countries to prepare for further enlargement by 3 | 29.10.23 Economic Policy Research Center EPRC Opinion: Reforming and Enlarging the EU for the 21st Century 2030 i. [...] The refining of the Article 7 (both by lowering the threshold of application from the unanimity minus one to majority of four fifths at the European Council and by adopting principle of an automatic response) paired with the strengthening of the budget conditionality would considerably increase the efficiency of the EU to push defiant governments to abide by the mutually agreed rule of law princip. [...] As the supranational institution and the executive arm of the European Union (made up of unelected Commissioners), the European Commission is the source of constant political speculation in the internal political milieu of the member states, and at the same time the place where member states most expect to defend their interests. [...] 5 | 29.10.23 Economic Policy Research Center EPRC Opinion: Reforming and Enlarging the EU for the 21st Century 9 Changing the principles of EU budget formation This is probably the least discussed part of the report's proposals, but one of the thorniest issues that will come to the fore as soon as the accession of the new states ceases to be a remote possibility.