EU Commission throws down the gauntlet to member states on reforming the bloc

Key Points:

• The European Commission has proposed significant reforms to prepare the EU for expansion to 30 or more member states, including reducing the number of commissioners and shifting from unanimity to qualified majority voting (QMV) in certain areas, particularly during accession processes.
• The Commission aims to activate passerelle clauses to ease decision-making by reducing veto powers, especially in foreign and security policy, though activating these clauses still requires unanimity, making the process challenging.
• Enhanced cooperation among at least nine member states is encouraged to pursue deeper integration on strategic issues, but this approach faces resistance from some countries wary of differentiated membership and regulatory asymmetry.
• The proposal to end the principle of one commissioner per member state, favoring a rotating system reflecting demographic and geographic diversity, is controversial and may face opposition from both small and large countries concerned about losing influence.
• While reforms addressing candidate countries' integration and democratic safeguards may be less contentious, overall internal reforms are expected to encounter skepticism from EU capitals, with the upcoming European Council meeting in October serving as a critical test for these proposals.