EU Plans Pre-Membership Benefits for Candidates, But Kyiv Rejects ‘Membership-Lite’

The European Commission is preparing plans to grant EU candidate countries economic benefits before they formally join the bloc, as Brussels searches for ways to accelerate enlargement without lowering accession standards.

According to Politico, the proposal is part of the Commission’s “gradual integration” strategy, which would reward candidate states with greater access to EU programs as they implement reforms during the accession process.

Benefits under discussion include access to selected EU funding programs, preferential trade arrangements, and partial entry into the EU single market. Access would be granted on a case-by-case basis depending on each country’s reform progress and alignment with EU rules.

The initiative aims to maintain momentum among candidate countries by offering tangible rewards while full membership negotiations continue – a process that often takes years.

“The approach is also designed to keep candidate countries such as Ukraine – whose accession is likely to take years despite strong political backing – fully engaged in the process without promising rapid membership,” as per the Politico report.

Unlike earlier proposals for so-called “reverse enlargement,” which would have granted political rights before full accession and failed to gain support among member states, the new plan focuses solely on economic integration.

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The proposal has gained political traction, with France and Germany previously backing similar ideas to keep enlargement moving forward.

However, Ukraine and Montenegro have opposed the “membership-lite” concept, with Kyiv arguing that interim arrangements must not become an alternative to full membership.

The EU currently has nine official candidate countries. While Montenegro is considered the frontrunner for accession, Ukraine and Moldova have already opened accession talks.

European leaders are expected to revisit the issue at the European Council in October, where member states may decide whether to move forward with a broader framework for gradual integration.

All negotiation clusters for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union are ready and could be opened by mid-July, according to Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka.

Kachka said no additional decisions are needed to launch the remaining five clusters, adding that the process now depends on coordination among all 27 EU member states. Ukraine expects the clusters to be opened before the summer recess.

He added Kyiv sees broad political support across the bloc and believes accession by 2030 remains achievable if reforms continue at pace.

Based on previous enlargement cases, the accession process could take around two to two and a half years once negotiations are fully underway, with Ukraine aiming to complete all benchmarks by 2027, Kachka said.

However, Hungary has delayed a key procedural step by blocking a joint letter confirming unanimous backing from all member states, according to Politico. As EU accession requires unanimity, Budapest remains the main obstacle to Kyiv’s fast-tracked membership bid.

In late May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed granting Ukraine “associate member” status in the EU before full accession. Under the plan, Ukraine would gain representation at EU summits, the European Commission, and the European Parliament, but without voting rights. Kyiv could also benefit from parts of the EU budget and the bloc’s mutual assistance clause.

Merz argued the proposal would bring Ukraine closer to core EU institutions while full accession remains delayed by political and procedural hurdles, insisting it was not “membership light.” Kyiv opposed the plan though.