EU is considering the possibility of pre-accession Commission members and Council observers for candidate countries

In its report based on draft documents, Rapporteur, which previously published under the name Euractiv, claimed that candidate countries such as Montenegro and Albania could be cleared to send a Commission member to Brussels before full membership to the EU.

It was stated that EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce the new enlargement strategy on October 6, as part of her Western Balkans tour.

Accordingly, it is recommended that the candidate countries be further included in the Union's decision-making processes in the period after the accession agreement has been signed, but before all 27 members of the EU have ratified the agreement at the national level.

While it is pointed out that the national approval process may take years, it is stated that candidate countries should be considered to take on a greater role in EU institutions during this period.

In this context, the Commission is considering the option of a country in the accession process being able to appoint a Commission member during the said period.

It is stated that the Commission member in question can participate in the meetings of the Commission members on relevant issues and contribute to the shaping of EU legislation.

It is noted that the Commission member in question may participate in work on relevant issues in a way that preserves the Commission's autonomy, collective working structure and shared responsibility.

Granting observer status to candidate countries in the EU Council is also on the agenda.

The Commission is also considering the inclusion of candidate countries in the EU's institutional structures at an earlier stage, after the formal completion of membership negotiations.

At this stage, it is planned to allow candidate countries to send observers to meetings of the EU Council, the EU's highest political decision-making body.

It was revealed that the commission envisaged gradual and more comprehensive integration into the single market in parallel with the candidate countries' implementation of the internal reforms required for membership.