Five EU States Propose Gradual Western Balkans Integration into EU Single Market Before Full Membership

Five EU member states put forward a formal proposal on May 20 for a model of 'gradual accession' that would allow Western Balkans candidates — Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia — to participate in EU Single Market programmes (energy, transport, digital) before achieving full membership. The initiative responds to Ukraine's accelerated accession track and growing frustration in the Western Balkans at the slow pace of membership talks. Under the proposal, candidate countries would join specific EU frameworks and benefit from free movement of goods and services in exchange for meeting sector-specific alignment benchmarks. The model differs from full accession in that political participation (voting rights in the Council and Parliament) would remain withheld until final accession. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said the idea merits serious consideration as a way to deepen integration while maintaining membership conditionality.