EU working on developing mechanisms to accelerate process of candidate countries: Commissioner

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The European Union is working on developing mechanisms to accelerate the process of candidate countries, the European commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement said Thursday.

Oliver Varhelyi's remarks came after an informal meeting of General Affairs ministers in Murcia, Spain, the country which currently holds the EU term presidency.

"In a couple of weeks' time, you will see us presenting a new way of thinking about enlargement and the package that will now include 10 candidate countries or countries with a European perspective," Varhelyi said.

"And in that report, we not only want to move forward, but we want to provide the means for an accelerated integration," he added.

Underlining that the enlargement continues to be "a merit-based process," he said that candidate countries have to deliver on all the criteria to become a member.

He noted that during the meeting, the ministers discussed how they could support the candidate countries to speed up their delivery of the reforms and they began to look into ways that could accelerate the process.

The EU is currently developing mechanisms to accelerate the accession of candidate countries by 2030, Varhelyi said, adding that the real question is whether candidate countries will be ready by then.

The commissioner said their growth plan to support candidate countries is based on four pillars, which include creating incentives for reinforcing socioeconomic reforms, creating the opportunity to gradually integrate these countries already in the single market, strengthening work in relation to the reforms on the rule of law and democracy, and providing necessary tools to close the economic and social gap well before accession.