The European Parliament's EPP group has tabled an amendment to the 2025 Commission report on Bosnia and Herzegovina that proposes a differentiated enlargement strategy, endorsing the German Chancellor's model of 'Progressive Membership' for Ukraine and Moldova while calling only for 'intensified cooperation' with the Western Balkans. The amendment, published on 11 June 2026 as part of rapporteur Ondřej Kolář's report, introduces a new paragraph 7a that explicitly links the pace and nature of EU integration to the candidate country, marking a departure from the traditional uniform enlargement process.
The single amendment from the EPP group welcomes a 'new dynamic' for EU enlargement and elevates a specific national proposal — the German Chancellor's initiative — to the level of a parliamentary recommendation. For Ukraine and Moldova, the EPP calls for a structured, step-by-step 'Progressive Membership' model that would grant gradual integration into EU policies and institutions before full membership. For the Western Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, the amendment advocates for 'intensified cooperation,' a less specific formulation that stops short of offering a similar phased membership track.
Policy orientations and trade-offs The amendment introduces a clear cleavage between candidate countries, potentially accelerating integration for Ukraine and Moldova while leaving the Western Balkans in a less defined cooperation framework. This tiered approach could create political friction among candidate states, as it formally differentiates their accession prospects. The trade-off lies between rewarding geopolitical urgency — Ukraine and Moldova face ongoing security threats — and maintaining the EU's commitment to a merit-based, uniform enlargement process for all Western Balkan countries, which have been in the queue for much longer.
Impact on stakeholders For Ukraine and Moldova, the amendment offers a clearer, more ambitious path to EU membership, potentially boosting reform momentum and investor confidence. For Western Balkan countries, the less specific 'intensified cooperation' language may be seen as a downgrade, risking disillusionment and slowing reforms. The European Commission would face pressure to operationalise two distinct accession tracks, increasing administrative complexity. EU member states are split: those favouring rapid integration of Ukraine and Moldova (notably Germany and Nordic states) may welcome the proposal, while others (such as France and the Netherlands) may resist creating a two-speed enlargement that could undermine the credibility of the accession process.
Institutional follow-up The amendment will be debated and voted on in the European Parliament's plenary session as part of the broader report on Bosnia and Herzegovina. The final resolution, if adopted, would serve as the Parliament's position ahead of any Council discussions on enlargement methodology. The Council has yet to formally respond to the German Chancellor's proposals, and the Commission is expected to issue its own assessment in the upcoming enlargement package later in 2026.
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