Unveiled at the EU–Western Balkans Summit in Montenegro, the joint proposal by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron calls for a simpler accession process focused on substantive reforms rather than procedural requirements.
Under the plan, candidate countries that meet key reform benchmarks could gain early access to parts of the EU single market and participate in EU institutions as observers before achieving full membership. The proposal applies to Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Albania, and Moldova.
The initiative aims to provide stronger incentives for reform and deeper integration. It follows Merz’s support for granting Ukraine an “associate membership” status, which he believes could foster closer ties with the EU while supporting efforts to end the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
