Sittings · Document

Draft report (2025/2110(INI)) 2025-12-04

EU enlargement strategy

Committee on Foreign Affairs

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Amendment 1

Geadis Geadi, Emmanouil Fragkos

Motion for a resolution

Citation 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

— having regard to the EU Association Agreements with Albania2, Bosnia and Herzegovina3, Georgia4, Kosovo5, the Republic of Moldova6(hereinafter ‘Moldova’), Montenegro7, North Macedonia8, Serbia9, Türkiye10and Ukraine11,

– having regard to the EU Association Agreements with Albania2, Bosnia and Herzegovina3, Georgia4, the Republic of Moldova (hereinafter ‘Moldova’)6, Montenegro7, Skopje8, Serbia9, Türkiye10 and Ukraine11,

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2 OJ L 107, 28.4.2009, p. 166, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2009/332/oj.

3 OJ L 164, 30.6.2015, p. 2, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2015/997/oj.

4 OJ L 261, 30.8.2014, p. 4, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2014/494/oj.

5 OJ L 71, 16.3.2016, p. 3, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2016/342/oj.

6 OJ L 260, 30.8.2014, p. 4, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2014/492/oj.

7 OJ L 108, 29.4.2010, p. 3, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2010/224/oj.

8 OJ L 84, p. 13, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2004/239(2)/oj.

9 OJ L 278, 18.10.2013, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2013/490/oj.

10 OJ L 361, 31.12.1977, p. 29, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/1964/732/oj.

11 OJ L 161 29.5.2014, p. 3, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2014/295/oj.

Or. el

Amendment 2

Geadis Geadi, Emmanouil Fragkos

Motion for a resolution

Citation 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

— having regard to its resolutions on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Kosovo12, Serbia13, Albania14, Bosnia and Herzegovina15, North Macedonia16, Montenegro17, Ukraine18, Moldova19, Georgia20and Türkiye21,

– having regard to its resolutions on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Serbia13, Albania14, Bosnia and Herzegovina15, Skopje16, Montenegro17, Ukraine18, Moldova19, Georgia20 and Türkiye21,

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12 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0094.

13 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0093.

14 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0155.

15 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0156.

16 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0157.

17 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0130.

18 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0175.

19 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0131.

20 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0158.

21 Texts adopted, P10_TA(2025)0092.

Or. el

Amendment 3

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Citation 7 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

– having regard to its resolution of 13 March 2024 on closer ties between the EU and Armenia and the need for a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia22a,

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22a Texts adopted, P9_TA(2024)0158.

Or. fi

Amendment 4

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

A. whereas the EU enlargement process has progressed substantially in recent years in some candidate countries; whereas nine of the 10 countries currently aspiring to join the EU hold candidate status, some of them for many years; whereas the opening of the accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova has contributed to a renewed dynamic in the enlargement policy, reinforcing the credibility of the EU perspective for all candidate countries, including those in the Western Balkans;

Or. en

Amendment 5

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

A. whereas although the EU enlargement process has progressed substantially in recent years in some candidate countries, in others there has been significant backsliding, particularly in Serbia, Türkiye and Georgia; whereas nine of the 10 countries currently aspiring to join the EU hold candidate status, some of them for many years;

Or. fi

Amendment 6

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Recital A a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Aa. whereas on 26 March 2025 the Armenian Parliament adopted a law formally supporting Armenia’s EU membership and calling on the country’s government to begin the EU accession process; whereas, pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty of European Union, any European state may apply for membership of the European Union provided that it adheres to the Copenhagen criteria and the principles of democracy, respects fundamental freedoms and human and minority rights, and upholds the rule of law;

Or. fi

Amendment 7

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B. whereas enlargement is one of the EU’s strongest foreign policy and geopolitical tools and remains a key driver of long-term security, peace, stability and prosperity in Europe based on shared democratic values; whereas enlargement represents a historic opportunity with significant socio-economic, political and security advantages for both the EU and the enlargement countries;

B. whereas enlargement is a historic commitment, one of the EU’s strongest foreign policy and geopolitical tools and remains a key driver of long-term security, peace, stability and prosperity in Europe based on shared democratic values; whereas enlargement represents a unique opportunity to unite our continent with significant socio-economic, political, and security advantages for both the EU and the enlargement countries, enabling us to confront together the full range of transnational and global challenges, including the climate crisis, security and energy concerns, health, environmental protection, and food security, with the ambition of building a stronger Europe for future generations;

Or. en

Amendment 8

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B. whereas enlargement is a headlong rush by the EU, which no longer takes into account the criteria of economic rigor or political stability;

Or. en

Amendment 9

Christophe Gomart

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B. whereas enlargement is not the EU’s only foreign policy and geopolitical tool and whereas alternative strategic partnerships can be developed in economic, social or military areas without undermining European coordination or effectiveness;

Or. fr

Amendment 10

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Recital B

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B. whereas enlargement is one of the EU’s strongest foreign policy and geopolitical tools and remains a key driver of long-term security, peace, stability and prosperity in Europe based on shared democratic values; whereas enlargement could represent, if well managed, an opportunity with socio-economic, political and security advantages for both the EU and the enlargement countries;

Or. en

Amendment 11

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Recital B a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B a. whereas the latest Eurobarometer report on enlargement indicates that 56 percent of EU citizens support further enlargement of the European Union, with Ukraine being the most favoured candidate for accession, once all membership criteria have been fulfilled;

Or. en

Amendment 12

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital B a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B a. whereas hostile external actors, in particular Russia and China, continue to exploit political instability and institutional weaknesses in several enlargement countries to undermine their EU integration path and democratic governance;

Or. en

Amendment 13

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Recital B b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B b. whereas according to the 2025 Eurobarometer report on enlargement, previous rounds of enlargement are perceived to have delivered the greatest benefits in the areas of economic growth and competitiveness, followed by strengthened global influence of the Union and enhanced security and defence;

Or. en

Amendment 14

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital B b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B b. whereas the EU remains the principal political, economic and trading partner of the enlargement countries, as well as their largest source of investment, and financial support;

Or. en

Amendment 15

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Recital B c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

B c. whereas the EU accession process alone delivers tangible results; whereas the total trade volume of the Western Balkans with the EU increased by 62 percent after Stabilisation and Association Agreements came into force, and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements had a transformative effect on Moldova and Ukraine in terms of both trade and economic development, increasing their trade by 65.4 percent and 64.7 percent, respectively;

Or. en

Amendment 16

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine poses a serious threat to security on the European continent and beyond;

C. whereas Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine poses a serious threat to security on the European continent and beyond; whereas recent developments, in particular Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, have demonstrated that non-enlargement carries significant strategic costs and undermines security and stability across our continent; whereas stagnation in the enlargement process during the previous years has created a vacuum, thus opening the space for Russia and China and other harmful third actors; whereas Russia’s malign interference in the Western Balkan countries, Moldova, Ukraine, and Georgia has been steadily increasing for years, destabilising and polarising these states and their societies, and posing a threat to peace and security in the regions and for the entire continent;

Or. en

Amendment 17

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine poses a serious threat to security on the European continent and beyond;

C. whereas Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine poses a serious threat to security on the European continent and beyond; whereas China’s economic influence in the enlargement countries, particularly in the Western Balkans, has created strategic dependencies through infrastructure investments and preferential loans;

Or. en

Amendment 18

Alice Teodorescu Måwe

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine poses a serious threat to security on the European continent and beyond;

C. whereas Russia’s illegal full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine poses the most serious threat to European security and democracy, but also a very serious threat globally; whereas the threat posed by Russia is multifaceted, not least via hybrid warfare and influence campaigns;

Or. sv

Amendment 19

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C. whereas Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine poses a serious threat to security on the European continent and beyond;

C. whereas Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine poses the most serious threat to security on the European continent and beyond since the end of the Second World War;

Or. fi

Amendment 20

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C a. whereas on 10 November 2025, in Ukraine, a candidate country to the EU, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) uncovered a major corruption scandal at the state nuclear-energy company Energoatom involving approximately US $100 million, implicating high-level figures including former Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko (also briefly Justice Minister), current Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk, and businessman Timur Mindich ; whereas additional cases, such as the discovery of US $6 million in cash at the home of a civil servant who had declared a house worth only US $76, underscore systemic governance failures; whereas these scandals demonstrate persistent weaknesses in rule-of-law, transparency, and accountability — particularly in strategic sectors during wartime — and highlight that Ukraine does not currently meet EU standards for accession; whereas admitting Ukraine into the EU under these conditions would risk undermining both internal and external European security, expose EU institutions and taxpayers to misuse as the EU is the largest financial to Ukraine since the 2022 Russian invasion;

Or. en

Amendment 21

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C a. whereas the Western Balkans and Moldova are in need of greater European support in order to preserve stability and security, and increased defence cooperation, especially in terms of fight against disinformation and hybrid warfare; whereas the security in these regions is negatively affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine which carries the risk of spill over effect;

Or. en

Amendment 22

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C a. whereas Russia deliberately interferes in the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkan countries through hybrid threat operations, including election interference and foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) campaigns, seeking to stall the EU accession process in these countries;

Or. en

Amendment 23

Nathalie Loiseau, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C a. whereas Russian armed forces illegally occupy parts of the territory of three candidate countries;

Or. en

Amendment 24

Nathalie Loiseau, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Recital C b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C b. whereas Ukraine was invaded notably because its people chose a European future; whereas, despite the immense hardships and destruction endured over the recent years, Ukraine has nevertheless advanced substantial reforms and continued to progress on its European accession path;

Or. en

Amendment 25

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Recital C b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C b. whereas China’s influence is dangerously expanding from economic dependency projects to security cooperation, notably in the Western Balkans and Georgia;

Or. en

Amendment 26

Nathalie Loiseau, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Recital C c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C c. whereas the Republic of Moldova has faced unprecedented Russian hybrid attacks throughout the past electoral cycle, aimed at destabilising its democratic institutions and pro-European choice; whereas, despite these pressures, Moldova has continued to advance key reforms and maintained progress on the path of EU accession;

Or. en

Amendment 27

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Recital C d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C d. whereas Georgia’s accession process is de facto on hold after it has undergone severe democratic backsliding over the past years, including state capture, curbs on media freedom and civic space, and rigged elections; whereas the ruling Georgian Dream party and the broader network of medias and figures associated with Bidzina Ivanishvili advance anti-EU narratives in line with Russian propaganda and are responsible for this deterioration, undermining Georgia’s EU accession path; whereas the Georgian population remains overwhelmingly in favour of EU integration, as exemplified by the spontaneous protests in defence of Georgia’s constitutionally enshrined European future, which have been ongoing continuously since 28 November 2024;

Or. en

Amendment 28

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Recital C e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C e. whereas Türkiye’s accession process is currently at an indefinite standstill with democratic backsliding having consolidated over recent years, the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in March 2025 marking a turning point towards full-fledged authoritarianism; whereas Türkiye currently partially occupies an EU Member State; whereas Türkiye increasingly favours alternative engagement formats to cooperation with the EU and regularly pursues geopolitical interests running contrary to the EU’s, and as such gives no reason to foresee a credible renewal of its commitment to EU accession;

Or. en

Amendment 29

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Recital C f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C f. whereas on 9 March 2024, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, publicly contemplated submitting an application for Armenia to become a candidate for accession to the European Union and reiterated that possibility on 18 October 2025; whereas on 4 April 2025 the law "on the launch of the process of accession of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union" was promulgated upon its signature by the President;

Or. en

Amendment 30

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Recital C g (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C g. whereas authorities of Iceland expressed their intention, in the light of the growing support for EU accession, to hold a referendum by 2027 on the resumption of EU accession negotiations;

Or. en

Amendment 31

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Recital C h (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

C h. whereas any potential initiative by the Government of Greenland to strengthen its political, institutional and economic links with the EU in view of increasing support for EU accession among Greenlanders, evidenced by polling suggesting that around 60 % of Greenlanders now favour rejoining the EU, should be welcomed;

Or. en

Amendment 32

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas enlargement is a merit-based process, where irreversible progress on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental values remains the key cornerstone;

D. whereas enlargement is a merit-based process, where irreversible progress on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental values remains the key cornerstone; whereas accession decisions should be taken on a country-by-country basis, without predetermined linkage to the progress or stagnation of other candidates, as each candidate country should advance towards EU membership on the basis of its own individual achievements and tangible reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 33

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas enlargement is a merit-based process, where irreversible progress on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental values remains the key cornerstone;

D. whereas enlargement is a merit-based process, where irreversible progress on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental values remains the key cornerstone; whereas each country’s EU accession depends on lasting, in-depth and irreversible reforms across fundamental areas, starting with the rule of law and the functioning of democratic institutions; whereas the quality of a country’s necessary reforms determine the timeline for accession;

Or. en

Amendment 34

Alice Teodorescu Måwe

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D. whereas enlargement is a merit-based process, where irreversible progress on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental values remains the key cornerstone;

D. whereas enlargement is a merit-based process primarily based on the mandatory Copenhagen criteria, where irreversible progress on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental values is absolutely crucial;

Or. sv

Amendment 35

Ana Miguel Pedro

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Da. E. whereas, under the terms of Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, fundamental decisions relating to the enlargement process – including opening accession negotiations and the actual admission of new Member States – require unanimity in the Council, a requirement that forms an essential guarantee of the principle of equality among Member States and should not be undermined by any institutional reforms;

Or. pt

Amendment 36

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas the latest Eurobarometer of September 2025 indicates that 56% of EU citizens support future enlargement and consider that it will bring tangible benefits to their own country, reflecting growing public recognition of enlargement as a strategic investment in Europe’s security, stability and prosperity1a;

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1a https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3413

Or. en

Amendment 37

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas it is high time to seize the current momentum, overcome remaining obstacles, advance the necessary reforms in parallel and finally make tangible progress, enabling the next enlargement countries - once fully prepared - to join the Union as soon as possible, by the end of this decade;

Or. en

Amendment 38

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas EU accession countries are facing challenges stemming from malign foreign interference and disinformation campaigns; whereas past developments have shown that non-enlargement has a serious strategic cost and can undermine security and stability on our continent;

Or. en

Amendment 39

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D a. whereas five member states—Spain, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Cyprus—do not recognize the sovereignty of Kosovo;

Or. en

Amendment 40

Ana Miguel Pedro

Motion for a resolution

Recital D b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Db. F. whereas the ongoing debate on the institutional reform of the Union should not lead to removal of the unanimity requirement for enlargement matters, nor a wider replacement of that requirement by qualified majority voting in this particularly sensitive area, as doing so could jeopardise mutual trust among Member States and weaken citizens’ support for enlargement;

Or. pt

Amendment 41

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Recital D b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D b. whereas the manner in which the EU conducts its enlargement process is central to the Union’s credibility; whereas a consistent, predictable, tailormade and free of double standards approach is essential not only to reaffirm the sovereign right of neighbouring countries to choose their alliances freely, but also to demonstrate that the EU is willing and able to act effectively on this commitment;

Or. en

Amendment 42

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Recital D b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D b. whereas the EU continues to be their biggest trading partner and largest provider of investment and financial assistance through the IPA III, the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, Western Balkan Facility, Ukraine Facility, Moldova Facility, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe, and macro-financial assistance;

Or. en

Amendment 43

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Recital D b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D b. whereas IPA III, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance for the period 2021-2027, provides EUR 14.2 billion to support reforms and socio-economic development in the Western Balkans and Turkey;

Or. en

Amendment 44

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Recital D c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D c. whereas in order to become more effective, the EU’s enlargement policy needs to combine a strong focus on the fundamental issues – the rule of law, democratic standards, socio-economic reforms, fundamental rights and freedoms – with the gradual phasing-in of the candidate countries into various sectors of EU integration, moving visibly and constantly towards full membership to sustain the momentum for reform in candidate and potential candidate countries;

Or. en

Amendment 45

Ana Miguel Pedro

Motion for a resolution

Recital D c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Dc. G. whereas unanimity, as the practical expression of sovereign equality and equal participation by Member States at foundational moments in the Union’s evolution, has a fundamental nature that prevents decisions of existential importance from being conditional upon context-dependent majorities, thereby ensuring that the enlargement process remains anchored in genuine political consensus and not mere institutional arithmetic;

Or. pt

Amendment 46

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Recital D c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D c. whereas enlargement no longer fully considers the criteria of economic rigor or political stability as stipulated by the Copenhagen Criteria; whereas the Copenhagen Criteria are essential for safeguarding the values, stability, and security of the Union and its citizens;

Or. en

Amendment 47

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Recital D d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D d. whereas according to the Europol 2023 report on the EU's most threatening criminal networks, the Western Balkans, in particular Albania, is identified as a significant player in some of the most threatening criminal networks in the European Union; whereas this report specifically points to Albanian criminal groups being highly active in drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, and the illicit firearms trade;

Or. en

Amendment 48

Ana Miguel Pedro

Motion for a resolution

Recital D d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Dd. H. whereas preserving unanimity in this area strengthens the substantive legitimacy of decisions on enlargement, insofar as it guarantees that the accession of new Member States happens by way of an entirely harmonious decision taken by the current Member States, thereby avoiding institutional tensions, preventing rifts between Member States and protecting the Union’s internal cohesion at a time of particular political sensitivity;

Or. pt

Amendment 49

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Recital D d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D d. whereas alignment of the candidate countries with the EU common foreign and security policy remains one of the key preconditions for the EU accession;

Or. en

Amendment 50

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Recital D e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D e. whereas accession to the EU must take place in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, based on respect for the relevant procedures and subject to the fulfilment of the established criteria; whereas the decision-making process on the enlargement matters is defined by the Art. 49 of the Treaty on European Union and Negotiations Frameworks defined for each candidate country;

Or. en

Amendment 51

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Recital D e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D e. whereas since 1974 Turkey occupies part of Cyprus, an EU Member State, maintaining a de facto division of the island and engaging in repeated hostilities against EU Member States such as Greece, undermining regional stability and EU security;

Or. en

Amendment 52

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Recital D f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D f. whereas Article 49 of the TUE stipulates that “Any European State which respects the values referred to in Article 2 and is committed to promoting them may apply to become a member of the Union. The European Parliament and national parliaments shall be notified of this application. The applicant State shall address its application to the Council, which shall act unanimously after consulting the Commission and after receiving the consent of the European Parliament, which shall decide by a majority of its component members. The eligibility criteria approved by the European Council shall be taken into account. The conditions of admission and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the Union is founded, which such admission entails, shall be the subject of an agreement between the Member States and the applicant State. This agreement must be ratified by all contracting States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.” ;

Or. en

Amendment 53

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Recital D f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

D f. whereas the European Parliament remains a reliable partner for accession countries and an advocate of the enlargement process, enabling institutional and socio-economic reforms for the benefit of citizens;

Or. en

Amendment 54

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Subheading 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Geostrategic dimension of enlargement

Strategic dimensions of enlargement

Or. en

Amendment 55

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph -1 (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

-1. Firmly opposes further EU enlargement, in particular towards the Western Balkans, as the candidate countries are still far from meeting the political, economic, and social stability criteria outlined in the Copenhagen Criteria, whose ongoing political instability, widespread corruption, and persistent organized crime pose significant risks that could jeopardize the safety and security of European citizens;

Or. en

Amendment 56

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates that enlargement is of the utmost strategic importance for the EU in the face of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine and other common geopolitical challenges, requiring a long-term political democratic vision and bold decisions; stresses that the absence of a credible and visible EU engagement in the Western Balkans’ region and neighbouring region risks creating a vacuum that may be exploited by third countries seeking to expand their political, economic and strategic influence in the region;

Or. en

Amendment 57

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates that enlargement is of the utmost strategic importance for the EU in the face of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine and other common geopolitical challenges, requiring a long-term political democratic vision and bold decisions; underlines, therefore, that the EU’s current approach to enlargement, is driven primarily by geopolitical considerations, and no longer adequately takes into account essential factors of stability;

Or. en

Amendment 58

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates that enlargement is of the utmost strategic importance for the EU in the face of Russia’s expansionist and aggressive foreign policy – in particular the full-scale war of aggression it is waging against Ukraine and its repeated border violations, hybrid attacks and other hostile actions against its neighbours – and with regard to other common geopolitical challenges, requiring a long-term political democratic vision and bold decisions;

Or. fi

Amendment 59

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates that enlargement is a strategic response to the new geopolitical reality and constitutes an investment of the utmost strategic importance, in the security and stability of the EU in the face of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine and other common geopolitical challenges, requiring a long-term political democratic vision and bold decisions;

Or. en

Amendment 60

Dan Barna, Hilde Vautmans, Petras Auštrevičius, Marjan Šarec, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 61

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates that enlargement must not be pursued under geopolitical pressure or urgency, but only on the basis of full compliance with all accession criteria and without shortcuts;

Or. en

Amendment 62

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Reiterates that enlargement could be of the utmost strategic importance for the EU in the face of common geopolitical challenges, requiring a long-term political democratic vision and bold decisions;

Or. en

Amendment 63

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 64

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1 a. Underlines that the current geopolitical situation has fundamentally changed compared to previous enlargement rounds, where many external actors were passive; notes that, while past enlargements focused on economic interests and legal alignment, today’s context is defined by high geopolitical tension and active external interference; stresses that enlargement cannot remain a purely technical or merit-based process, but is a geopolitical and strategic imperative, requiring the EU to adapt by enhancing its political focus and engagement, strengthening strategic coherence, and ensuring that enlargement policy matches current geopolitical realities and provocations;

Or. en

Amendment 65

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1 a. Warns that the enlargement process has largely stalled in the Western Balkans’ region, often leading to reform fatigue and a certain distrust of the general population towards the EU enlargement process;

Or. en

Amendment 66

Christophe Gomart

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1a. Calls on the VP/HR to consider establishing different associate state statuses, making it possible to have stronger and tiered relationships with Union partners;

Or. fr

Amendment 67

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Reiterates that enlargement is a win-win for both current and future Member States; emphasises the political urgency of demonstrating the EU’s commitment to the enlargement process; insists that EU enlargement will strengthen European security; stresses, yet again, that the future of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova lies within the EU, in accordance with the aspirations of their people; underlines that the cost of non-enlargement exceeds the cost of completing the process and would risk creating geopolitical grey zones vulnerable to malign influence;

Or. en

Amendment 68

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Reiterates that enlargement is a win-win for both current and future Member States; emphasises the political urgency of demonstrating the EU’s commitment to the enlargement process, also with a view to safeguarding the EU’s credibility towards the accession countries and their societies; insists that EU enlargement will strengthen European security; stresses, yet again, that the future of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova and their citizens lies within the EU;

Or. en

Amendment 69

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Reiterates that enlargement would be a loss for current Member States; insists that EU enlargement will further expose and weaken both internal and external European security and stability, as these countries are either affected by armed conflict or face high levels of corruption and criminality; stresses, once again, that the future of the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova does not lie in the EU, but that they remain important partners;

Or. en

Amendment 70

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Reiterates that enlargement could be a win-win for both current and future Member States; emphasises the political urgency of demonstrating the EU’s commitment to the enlargement process; insists that EU enlargement will strengthen European security; stresses, yet again, that the future of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova lies within the EU, if and when they demonstrate a genuine ability to sustain the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 71

Alice Teodorescu Måwe

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Reiterates that enlargement is a win-win for both current and future Member States; emphasises the political urgency of demonstrating the EU’s active commitment to the enlargement process, primarily by means of support for institutional and legal reforms; emphasises that EU enlargement will strengthen European security; stresses, yet again, that the future of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova lies within the EU;

Or. sv

Amendment 72

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2. Rejects the notion that enlargement is a win-win for both current and future Member States; emphasises that political urgency should not justify an accelerated enlargement process; stresses that the future of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova does not necessarily lie in EU membership at all costs, and that alternative forms of partnership and cooperation agreements should be explored;

Or. en

Amendment 73

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 74

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 75

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. Notes that some candidate countries, notably Ukraine, already contribute to European security and defense; expresses its deepest respect and gratitude to the people of Ukraine who everyday pay the highest price for preserving the European way of life; recognizes the contribution of several candidate countries to EU CSDP missions, as well as their fight against anti-EU FIMI and hybrid threats;

Or. en

Amendment 76

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. Welcomes the inclusion, for the first time, of indicative timelines in the Commission’s 2025 Enlargement Package for the potential conclusion of accession negotiations with Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine; underlines that such timelines enhance the credibility and predictability of the enlargement process while fully respecting the principle that any progress must remain strictly merit-based;

Or. en

Amendment 77

Łukasz Kohut

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. welcomes the Icelandic government's intention to hold a referendum by 2027 on resuming EU accession negotiations and pledges to respect the outcome thereof, as democratically expressed by the Icelandic people; underlines the persistent need to develop the EU-Iceland cooperation while avoiding putting pressure on Iceland in the context of accession;

Or. en

Amendment 78

Michał Szczerba

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. Highlights that the actions takes by the Georgian authorities are incompatible with Georgia’s candidate status and reiterates the support to the European aspirations of the vast majority of Georgian people;

Or. en

Amendment 79

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2a. Expresses its full support for Ukraine, which, despite the extreme difficulties caused by Russia’s war of aggression, has resolutely pursued the reforms required for EU membership;

Or. fi

Amendment 80

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

2 a. Emphasises that the EU’s prosperity and security rests on its ability to defend democracy, rule of law, human rights and the rules-based multilateral order;

Or. en

Amendment 81

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 82

Nathalie Loiseau, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Underlines that accession is a key tool to promote democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights, and an essential anchor for fostering regional reconciliation and stability, increasing resilience and protecting candidate countries from malign foreign interference; considers that maintaining and enhancing enlargement policy is indispensable for the EU’s influence in the region and beyond, especially at times of heightened geopolitical instability; stresses that the EU enlargement is a vital geopolitical stake in order to expand democracy and the rule of law in the EU neighborhood and fight back against continuous pushes from authoritarian States;

Or. en

Amendment 83

Alice Teodorescu Måwe

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Underlines that accession is a key tool to promote democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights, and an essential anchor for fostering regional reconciliation and stability, increasing resilience and protecting candidate countries from malign foreign interference; considers that maintaining and enhancing enlargement policy is indispensable for the EU’s influence in the region and beyond, especially at times of heightened geopolitical instability; emphasises the fundamental idea of the EU as a peace project;

Or. sv

Amendment 84

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3. Underlines that accession is a key tool to promote democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights, and an essential anchor for fostering regional reconciliation and stability, increasing resilience and protecting candidate countries from malign foreign interference, particularly from Russia; considers that maintaining and enhancing enlargement policy is indispensable in order to contain Russia’s influence in the region and beyond, especially at times of heightened geopolitical instability;

Or. fi

Amendment 85

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 a. Recognizes and welcomes the progress made in recent years that makes EU enlargement likely in the nearest future; commends the significant progress made by Montenegro and Albania on their path towards EU membership; notes Montenegro’s ambition to close accession negotiations by the end of 2026 and Albania’s by the end of 2027; urges the EU institutions, particularly the Council, to reciprocate the ambition and energy of these countries, continue the support and remove any obstacles on the EU’s end;

Or. en

Amendment 86

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 a. Emphasizes that, at a time when European interests and values are increasingly threatened by foreign interference, political manipulation and distorted depictions of the Union, the commitment and determination of populations in candidate countries to uphold EU norms and values testify to the Union’s enduring attractiveness; encourages the EU to increase its dialogue with civil societies of candidate countries in order to support pro-European sentiments and to counter anti-European propaganda;

Or. en

Amendment 87

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 a. Underlines the crucial importance of the accession process in fostering lasting peace and stability in the Western Balkan region that enable genuine reconciliation and an inclusive, democratic future for all citizens in the EU; recalls the shared cultural and historical heritage and human ties that bind the enlargement countries and the Member States;

Or. en

Amendment 88

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 a. Calls on the EU to ensure that its engagement with Georgia remains strategic, consistent, and insulated from short-term political fluctuations, recognising that sustained EU involvement is essential both for safeguarding the country’s democratic trajectory and for advancing the EU’s strategic interests in the region;

Or. en

Amendment 89

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 a. Stresses that China views the Western Balkans as a strategic area for its Belt and Road Initiative; underlines that, beyond investments in infrastructure projects, China is also investing in the extractive and raw materials sector in the Western Balkans;

Or. en

Amendment 90

Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 a. Stresses that, candidate countries must fully align with the EU’s CFSP, particularly concerning restrictive measures against Russia, demonstrating their commitment to EU’s geostrategic priorities;

Or. en

Amendment 91

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 b. Commends the remarkable resilience and commitment Ukraine has shown to its European path, despite the continuation of Russia’s war of aggression and the challenges it causes to reforming the country; praises the Republic of Moldova for having significantly advanced on its EU accession path, successfully completing the screening process despite continuous hybrid threats; calls for swiftly opening negotiating clusters with Ukraine and Moldova, and urges the Hungarian Government to refrain from further blocking the start of negotiations on the first clusters;

Or. en

Amendment 92

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 b. Reiterates that, pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty of European Union, any European state may apply to become a member of the European Union provided that it adheres to the Copenhagen criteria and the principles of democracy, respects fundamental freedoms and human and minority rights and upholds the rule of law; considers that, should Armenia be interested in applying for candidate status and continuing on its path of sustained reforms consolidating its democracy, this could set the stage for a transformative phase in EU-Armenia relations;

Or. en

Amendment 93

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 b. Emphasises that the EU should combine clear reform benchmarks with positive incentives, ensuring that conditionality does not become an obstacle to engagement but rather a tool that empowers candidate and partners countries;

Or. en

Amendment 94

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 c. Reiterates that, pursuant to Article 49 TEU, any European state may apply to become a member of the EU provided that it respects the values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, as referred to in Article 2 TEU; notes the increased support for EU membership in several countries that were previously preparing to join the EU, including Iceland, which intends to hold a referendum on restarting accession talks, and encourages EU leadership to continue building closer links with such countries;

Or. en

Amendment 95

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 c. Stresses that, in light of the deteriorating security situation in the region, the EU should regard its partnership with Georgia as a strategic geopolitical priority and reinforce, rather than reduce, its engagement to ensure that no vacuum is left for hostile actors to fill;

Or. en

Amendment 96

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 d. Underlines that respect for fundamental rights is rooted in established international and European legal obligations and cannot be distorted or reduced to ideologically driven notions such as ‘gender ideology’, noting that such narratives must not override or replace the EU’s actual foundational values; stresses that these rights must be understood in their true meaning, as guarantees of human dignity, the protection of life, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and the rights of persons belonging to minorities;

Or. en

Amendment 97

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 e. Underlines that obtaining candidate-country status should not result in harsher or more punitive scrutiny by the EU, but rather in deeper political dialogue, increased engagement, and a more nuanced understanding of the country’s specific challenges and structural constraints; stresses that reaching candidate status reflects significant progress and should therefore translate into enhanced support, tailored guidance, and a constructive partnership aimed at advancing reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 98

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

3 f. Notes with concern media reports indicating that the EU has postponed the human rights dialogue with Georgia due to the presence, in the Georgian delegation, of an individual alleged to be subject to sanctions1a; notes that the EU has, to date, not imposed sanctions on any Georgian nationals; calls on the EEAS to provide full clarity regarding the identity of the individual concerned and the origin of the sanctions designation; underlines that bilateral sanctions, national interests, or unilateral considerations by individual Member States must not unduly influence EU policy towards partner countries; stresses that transparency, consistency, and a rules-based approach are essential for the EU to be perceived as a credible and reliable partner; calls, therefore, for the prompt resumption of human rights dialogues and all other structured formats of engagement between the EU and Georgia;

_________________

1a https://caucasuswatch.de/en/news/the-eu-postpones-the-human-rights-dialogue-with-georgia.html

Or. en

Amendment 99

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Reiterates its position that accession to the EU must always be a merit-based process and that each applicant must be assessed on its own merit in terms of meeting the Copenhagen criteria, ensuring alignment with the EU acquis and fulfilling all additional conditions set out in the enlargement framework; recalls that all candidate countries—such as Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina—remain far from meeting these criteria, particularly in areas such as corruption, criminality, political and economic stability, or ongoing secession and armed conflict, as seen in countries like Ukraine and Georgia, and emphasizes that enlargement of the European Union to include these states could compromise the safety and economic interests of European citizens; underlines, in the case of Turkey, that it still occupies part of Cyprus, a Member State, and has engaged in hostilities against several Member States, such as Greece;

Or. en

Amendment 100

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Underlines that in the current enlargement context, the geopolitical dimension must be the primary consideration, with the merit-based assessment remaining a structured and essential component; stresses that, within this framework, each applicant should continue to be evaluated on its own merits, including progress in meeting the Copenhagen criteria, alignment with the EU acquis, and fulfillment of all additional conditions set out in the enlargement methodology, while taking into account the geopolitical environment and pressures faced by the country; underlines that such assessments must be carried out without double standards or the influence of bilateral interests of Member States, ensuring a fair, consistent, and credible enlargement process;

Or. en

Amendment 101

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 102

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. fi

Amendment 103

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Reiterates its position that accession to the EU must always remain a merit-based process and that each applicant must be assessed on its own merit in terms of meeting the Copenhagen criteria, ensuring alignment with the EU acquis and fulfilling all additional conditions set out in the enlargement framework; underscores that there can be no short-cuts on EU values and fundamental principles;

Or. en

Amendment 104

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 105

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 106

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4. Reiterates its position that accession to the EU must always be a merit-based and reversible process and that each applicant must be assessed on its own merit in terms of meeting the Copenhagen criteria, ensuring alignment with the EU acquis and fulfilling all additional conditions set out in the enlargement framework;

Or. en

Amendment 107

Kinga Gál, Jaroslav Bžoch, Viktória Ferenc, András László, Roberto Vannacci

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4 a. Expresses concern that the proclaimed merit-based approach is increasingly failing to materialise in practice, as in several instances EU institutions have prioritised ideological or geopolitical considerations over objective assessment of the fulfilment of the accession criteria; notes with regret that such practices undermine the credibility, transparency, and fairness of the enlargement process, and risk creating unequal treatment among candidate countries, whereby certain states are advanced or held back not on the basis of their achievements, but in accordance with the prevailing political preferences of EU institutions; calls for a return to a genuinely merit-based, ideology-free, and objective system of evaluation grounded exclusively in verifiable progress, concrete reforms, and real convergence with the acquis, while fully respecting the sovereignty of the candidate countries.

Or. en

Amendment 108

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4 a. Underlines that the EU should offer a credible and tangible accession perspective to its candidates and potential candidates, including Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and the Western Balkans; highlights that countries in Eastern Europe bordering Russia face exceptional political, security, and socio-economic pressures, which must be taken into account in their evaluation; stresses that their sustained reform efforts and the significant risks they bear in defending European values should be met by the EU with a swift, tailored, and clearly sequenced enlargement process, limited in time, and ensuring gradual integration even before full membership;

Or. en

Amendment 109

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

4 a. Stresses that while the process should become more incremental and dynamic and the EU should set concrete individual reform targets, roadmaps and intermediate timelines for each accession country, there can be no fast-track or pre-defined deadlines for membership, as they could affect the integrity of the accession process; notes that several candidate countries have already set ambitious objectives for concluding negotiations, which should be encouraged when matched by tangible reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 110

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Highlights that the rule of law, democratic reform, media freedom and respect for fundamental rights, including the rights of minorities, must remain at the forefront of the enlargement process, with judicial independence, the fight against corruption and the inclusion of and support for civil society being crucial preconditions for progress along the path to EU membership, particularly at a time of rising authoritarian tendencies;

5. Highlights that the Copenhagen criteria must remain the crucial preconditions of the enlargement process;

Or. en

Amendment 111

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Highlights that the rule of law, democratic reform, media freedom and respect for fundamental rights, including the rights of minorities and protection of LGBTIQ+ persons and women from discrimination, gender-based violence and hate crimes, must remain at the forefront of the enlargement process, with judicial independence, the fight against corruption and support for civil society, including protection of human rights defenders and ensuring an enabling environment free of political and administrative intimidation, being crucial preconditions for progress along the path to EU membership, particularly at a time of rising authoritarian tendencies;

Or. en

Amendment 112

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 113

Geadis Geadi, Emmanouil Fragkos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Highlights that the rule of law, democratic reform, media freedom and respect for fundamental rights, including the rights of minorities, adherence to international law and respect for states' national sovereignty must remain at the forefront of the enlargement process, with judicial independence, the fight against corruption and the inclusion of and support for civil society being crucial preconditions for progress along the path to EU membership, particularly at a time of rising authoritarian tendencies;

Or. el

Amendment 114

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 115

Dan Barna, Hilde Vautmans, Petras Auštrevičius, Marjan Šarec, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5. Highlights that the rule of law, democratic reform, media freedom and respect for fundamental rights, including the rights of minorities, must remain at the forefront of the enlargement process, with judicial independence, the fight against corruption and the inclusion of and support for civil society being crucial preconditions for sustainable progress along the path to EU membership, particularly at a time of rising authoritarian tendencies;

Or. en

Amendment 116

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 a. Underlines that one of the most effective ways to support judicial reform is through promoting economic development and improving the socioeconomic conditions of the population, as stable and prosperous societies are better able to sustain independent and efficient judicial systems; notes that support for judicial reforms must be tailored to country-specific circumstances, including institutional capacity, historical context, and administrative structures, as well as the particular challenges faced by smaller countries, where limited population size can place additional pressure on human resources, expertise, and the overall functioning of the judiciary;

Or. en

Amendment 117

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 a. Highlights the need to step up citizen participation and the involvement of civil society in the enlargement process; in this context, calls on the EU to allocate additional resources to civil society actors dedicated to EU values and principles, democracy, peacebuilding and people-to-people contacts; against this background, underlines the need to mainstream gender equality, the protection of minorities, including Roma, the LGBTIQ+ community and persons with disabilities, and fully implement the principle of non-discrimination throughout the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 118

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 a. Highlights that the effective protection of national minorities and communities is an essential element of EU integration; stresses that human rights must be safeguarded not only in legislation but also through consistent implementation in practice; stresses the need for all enlargement countries to guarantee genuine representation of minorities at all levels of government, preserve their cultural and linguistic identity, ensure access to quality education in minority languages, and effectively combat hate speech and hate-motivated crimes;

Or. en

Amendment 119

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 a. Calls upon the Commission to include all remaining enlargement countries to the annual Rule of Law report; is of particular concern over remaining problems and stagnation in judicial system reforms, attempts to reverse progress in anti-corruption reforms, limited progress in public administration reforms, remaining work to align election legislation to European requirements, as well as societal polarisation, shrinking space for civil society and suppression of right to peaceful assembly in some of enlargement countries;

Or. en

Amendment 120

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 a. Reminds that EU assistance in BiH should be focused on the electoral law reform following the Mostar Agreement and in the spirit of the Dayton-Paris Agreement based on power-sharing; supports transatlantic and European facilitation efforts to this end and condemns all obstructions of political actors in that regard;

Or. en

Amendment 121

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 a. Recalls the recent Operation Mida in Ukraine, which uncovered a major scandal involving bribes and corruption in the Ukrainian energy sector and implicated government politicians, confirming that the conditions for accelerating Ukraine's accession to the EU do not currently exist;

Or. en

Amendment 122

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 b. Underlines that meaningful, structured and continuous participation of civil society organisations with a proven track record and sectoral expertise must be ensured throughout all stages of the accession process, including screening, negotiation, implementation and monitoring of reforms; stresses that civil society participation is essential for safeguarding transparency, accountability and public trust in the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 123

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

5 b. Notes that most concerning developments and democracy backsliding continues in enlargement countries with the lowest alignment rates with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), and in countries whose EU accession process has effectively come to a standstill, particularly Serbia, Georgia and Türkiye; urges the EU and Member States to prevent other enlargement countries from following in their footsteps;

Or. en

Amendment 124

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6. Encourages enlargement countries to continue to resolutely implement the necessary reforms in a timely manner and to make tangible and irreversible progress, starting with the fundamentals of the EU accession process; insists on the need for continuous efforts to foster media pluralism, defend the rights of journalists and ensure freedom of expression in all enlargement countries;

Or. en

Amendment 125

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 126

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6. Encourages candidate countries to continue to resolutely implement the necessary reforms and to make tangible and irreversible progress, demonstrating their full eligibility for the EU accession process; insists on the need for continuous and verifiable efforts;

Or. en

Amendment 127

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6. Encourages enlargement countries to continue to resolutely implement the necessary reforms in a timely manner and to make tangible and irreversible progress, starting with the fundamentals of the EU accession process; insists on the need for continuous efforts to foster media pluralism, defend the rights of journalists, safeguard the environment for investigative journalism, and ensure freedom of expression in all enlargement countries;

Or. en

Amendment 128

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 129

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6 a. Underlines that EU institutions and decision-making processes must remain fully mindful that Europe is already operating in an environment of conventional and hybrid warfare; expresses concern over the growing imbalance between the lengthy and complex EU enlargement process and the pressure faced by pro-European governments in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus to sustain continuous, high-intensity and sometimes unpopular reforms over prolonged periods; emphasises that ongoing hybrid attacks, external destabilisation efforts, and malign foreign interference severely undermine popular support and political resilience in these countries, making it unrealistic to expect them to sustain a long-term reform process without a clearly defined and credible timeline from the EU; recalls that, prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Georgia was widely recognised as a regional frontrunner in democratic and structural reforms, and stresses that the geopolitical shock and the direct and indirect consequences of the war in Ukraine must not deter the EU from constructively engaging with and supporting Georgia; underlines, therefore, that the current geopolitical context must be fully integrated into the opening, sequencing, and overall management of the enlargement process; stresses that initial political decisions on enlargement should be taken swiftly and in a consistent, transparent, and equitable manner, providing candidate countries with strategic clarity and encouragement, after which the remaining reforms can be implemented in a structured, sustainable, and credible way;

Or. en

Amendment 130

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

6 a. Highlights the importance of continuous support for civil society, including enabling safe environment for its work; urges raising national awareness of the importance of supporting civil society and increasing state support for its activities, including to prepare for changes in funding after EU accession;

Or. en

Amendment 131

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Reiterates its position that alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) is an essential indicator of a candidate country’s commitment to the EU’s fundamental values and principles and its readiness for future membership; urges all candidate and potential candidate countries to prioritise swift and full alignment with the CFSP and reiterates that the accession of a given country can proceed only once it fully aligns with the CFSP, including EU restrictive measures; emphasises that systematic divergence from alignment with the CFSP constitutes a fundamental barrier to EU accession; expects candidate and potential candidate countries to also fully align with the common security and defence policy (CSDP), including its principles, objectives and missions, as a key component of the accession process;

7. Reiterates its position that alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) constitutes an important indicator of a candidate country’s commitment to the Union’s fundamental values and its readiness for future membership; underlines, however, that candidate countries must not be required to meet standards or obligations exceeding those applied to current Member States, noting that EU Member States themselves do not demonstrate full and uniform alignment with the CFSP and CSDP; stresses, therefore, that alignment expectations must be applied fairly, realistically, and consistently, taking into account each country’s specific security environment, constraints, and vulnerabilities; underlines in particular that countries facing occupation of parts of their territory or sharing direct borders with Russia are exposed to heightened security risks that may limit their ability to fully align in certain cases; calls on the EU to assess CFSP/CSDP alignment on a case-by-case basis, focusing on genuine political will and overall strategic trajectory rather than isolated deviations;

Or. en

Amendment 132

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Reiterates its position that alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) is an essential indicator of a candidate country’s commitment to the EU’s fundamental values and principles and its readiness for future membership; welcomes the successful resumption of the CFSP dialogue between the EU and its partners in the Western Balkans and underlines the importance of these partnerships for peace and security; urges all candidate and potential candidate countries to prioritise swift and full alignment with the CFSP and reiterates that the accession of a given country can proceed only once it fully aligns with the CFSP, including EU restrictive measures; emphasises that systematic divergence from alignment with the CFSP constitutes a fundamental barrier to EU accession; expects candidate and potential candidate countries to also fully align with the common security and defence policy (CSDP), including its principles, objectives and missions, as a key component of the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 133

Alice Teodorescu Måwe

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Reiterates its position that alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) is an essential indicator of a candidate country’s commitment to the EU’s fundamental values and principles and its readiness for future membership; urges all candidate and potential candidate countries to prioritise swift and full alignment with the CFSP and reiterates that the accession of a given country can proceed only once it fully aligns with the CFSP, including EU restrictive measures; condemns the actions of candidate countries like Georgia and Serbia, which have undermined their alignment with the CFSP and thereby distanced themselves further from EU membership; emphasises that systematic divergence from alignment with the CFSP constitutes a fundamental barrier to EU accession; expects candidate and potential candidate countries to also fully align with the common security and defence policy (CSDP), including its principles, objectives and missions, as a key component of the accession process;

Or. sv

Amendment 134

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 135

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Reiterates its position that alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) is an essential indicator of a candidate country’s commitment to the EU’s fundamental values and principles and its readiness for future membership; urges all candidate and potential candidate countries to prioritise swift and full alignment with the CFSP and reiterates that the accession of a given country can proceed only once it fully aligns with the CFSP, in particular by participating in sanctions against Russia and supporting Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression; emphasises that systematic divergence from alignment with the CFSP constitutes a fundamental barrier to EU accession; expects candidate and potential candidate countries to also fully align with the common security and defence policy (CSDP), including its principles, objectives and missions, as a key component of the accession process;

Or. fi

Amendment 136

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Reiterates its position that alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) is an essential indicator of a candidate country’s clear geostrategic orientation, commitment to the EU’s fundamental values and principles and its readiness for future membership; urges all candidate and potential candidate countries to prioritise swift and full alignment with the CFSP and reiterates that the accession of a given country can proceed only once it fully aligns with the CFSP, including EU restrictive measures; emphasises that systematic divergence from alignment with the CFSP constitutes a fundamental barrier to EU accession; expects candidate and potential candidate countries to also fully align with the common security and defence policy (CSDP), including its principles, objectives and missions, as a key component of the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 137

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Reiterates its position that alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) is an essential indicator of a candidate country’s commitment to the EU’s fundamental values and principles and its readiness for future membership; urges all candidate and potential candidate countries to prioritise swift and full alignment with the CFSP and reiterates that the accession of a given country can proceed only once it fully aligns with the CFSP, including adoption and implementation of EU restrictive measures; emphasises that systematic divergence from alignment with the CFSP constitutes a fundamental barrier to EU accession; expects candidate and potential candidate countries to also fully align with the common security and defence policy (CSDP), including its principles, objectives and missions, as a key component of the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 138

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Reiterates its position that alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) is an essential indicator of a candidate country’s commitment to the EU’s fundamental values and principles and its readiness for future membership; urges all candidate and potential candidate countries to prioritise swift and full alignment with the CFSP and reiterates that the accession of a given country can proceed only once it fully aligns with the CFSP, including EU restrictive measures and visa regime; emphasises that systematic divergence from alignment with the CFSP constitutes a fundamental barrier to EU accession; expects candidate and potential candidate countries to also fully align with the common security and defence policy (CSDP), including its principles, objectives and missions, as a key component of the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 139

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Reiterates its position that full alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP) is an essential indicator of a candidate country’s commitment to the EU’s fundamental values and principles and its readiness for future membership; urges all candidate and potential candidate countries to prioritise swift and full alignment with the CFSP and reiterates that the accession of a given country can proceed only once it fully aligns with the CFSP, including EU restrictive measures; emphasises that systematic divergence from alignment with the CFSP constitutes a fundamental barrier to EU accession; expects candidate and potential candidate countries to also fully align with the common security and defence policy (CSDP), including its principles, objectives and missions, as a key component of the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 140

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7 a. Highlights that failure to align with the CFSP poses security risks to the EU, such as enabling citizens of third countries to obtain visa-free travel rights to the EU by granting them citizenship of a candidate country or further increasing dependency on China, especially by allowing it to invest in critical infrastructure; insists on clear conditionalities within the CFSP on engagement with geopolitical rivals that seek to undermine the rules-based international order and weaken Europe and its democracy;

Or. en

Amendment 141

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Emphasises that regional cooperation is a prerequisite for EU accession; stresses that reconciliation, leading to good neighbourly relations, is key to successful EU accession; underlines, furthermore, that outstanding bilateral issues between EU and non-EU countries should be resolved bilaterally and must not be used as leverage to block the accession process of candidate countries; stresses that, while the enlargement decisions taken by the Council are fundamentally political, the accession process must not be weaponised for bilateral purposes, at the risk of undermining the credibility of the EU enlargement policy overall and of weakening incentives for reconciliation and good neighbourly relations;

Or. en

Amendment 142

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Emphasises that regional cooperation is a prerequisite for EU accession; stresses that reconciliation, leading to good neighbourly relations, is key to successful EU accession; underlines, furthermore, that outstanding bilateral issues between EU and non-EU countries should be resolved bilaterally and must not be used as leverage to block the accession process of candidate countries; stresses that excessive delays on the way towards full EU membership can negatively impact both public opinion and the political commitment of candidate countries;

Or. en

Amendment 143

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 144

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Emphasises that regional cooperation is a prerequisite for EU accession; stresses that reconciliation, leading to good neighbourly relations, is key to successful EU accession; recalls that EU accession process depends on fulfilling the conditions outlined in EU Negotiation Frameworks, fostering good neighbourly relations, and respecting bilateral and international agreements, in accordance with the Copenhagen criteria and the country’s own merits;

Or. en

Amendment 145

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 146

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 147

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Emphasises that regional cooperation, notably in the Western Balkans, is a prerequisite for EU accession; stresses that reconciliation, leading to good neighbourly relations, is key to successful EU accession; underlines, furthermore, that outstanding bilateral issues between EU and non-EU countries should be resolved bilaterally and must not be used as leverage to block the accession process of candidate countries;

Or. en

Amendment 148

Vangelis Meimarakis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 149

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8 a. Calls on the Council to exert greater political pressure on those Member States that misuse the accession process by blocking candidate countries for reasons that are unrelated to the Copenhagen criteria; regrets that these obstacles imposed by some Member States have considerably fuelled Euroscepticism, heightened inter-ethnic tensions and provided impetus to authoritarian tendencies, thereby threatening Europe’s security and social cohesion; deplores the resurgence of anachronic historical demands by some Member States, which hinder the EU path of some candidate countries;

Or. en

Amendment 150

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8 b. Calls to thoroughly evaluate the EU’s enlargement strategy, both in content and in substance; against this background, calls for an evaluation assessing the reasons why the progress made by some enlargement countries is so limited, particularly in the areas of the rule of law, human rights and democracy; in this context, calls on the EU delegations on the ground to apply a more credible and merit-based approach grounded in the respect for the rule of law and the protection of human rights; calls for an evaluation of the progress achieved not only on legislative level but also regarding implementation;

Or. en

Amendment 151

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; stresses, however, that even in such circumstances, political and technical dialogue and engagement must be maintained, as continuous communication is imperative for supporting reforms, preventing further deterioration, and safeguarding the progress already achieved; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face proportionate consequences to preserve democratic standards, while at the same time benefiting from the EU’s proactive support to strengthen democratic institutions and sustain reform momentum; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and maintain reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

Or. en

Amendment 152

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group with a mandate to track violations of fundamental rights, discrimination against minority groups, and attacks on human rights defenders in candidate countries; stresses the need for more systematic and detailed monitoring of the implementation of reforms under the Fundamentals cluster, where rapid progress or backsliding is often most visible and can significantly affect the credibility and sustainability of the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 153

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that underperforming candidate countries must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based;

Or. en

Amendment 154

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing or reversal of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

Or. en

Amendment 155

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach must entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

Or. en

Amendment 156

Dan Barna, Hilde Vautmans, Petras Auštrevičius, Marjan Šarec, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after significant progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

9. Underlines that the merit-based approach may entail the freezing of accession negotiations in the event of backsliding on fundamental values, with negotiations only resuming after sufficient progress is achieved on reforms; underscores that countries underperforming in terms of democratic governance must face consequences to ensure that the accession process remains genuinely merit-based; reiterates that the EU must proactively support the democratic pillars in candidate countries to reinforce stability and the reform momentum; calls on the Commission to establish a monitoring group to closely follow the situation in candidate countries that are backsliding on fundamental values;

Or. en

Amendment 157

Kinga Gál, Jaroslav Bžoch, Viktória Ferenc, András László, Roberto Vannacci

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9 a. Rejects any practice of artificially linking the advancement of individual candidate countries to unrelated political disputes, or of using enlargement policy as a tool to exert pressure on sovereigntist, patriotic governments whose views differ from those of the EU institutional leadership; urges the Commission to uphold the principles of transparency, equal treatment, and strict compliance with the Treaties and the Copenhagen Criteria in all matters related to enlargement;

Or. en

Amendment 158

Nathalie Loiseau, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9 a. Acknowledges that major flaws in previously completed enlargement processes allowed for democratic backsliding to occur after accession to the EU, with the most prominent example being the Orban system in Hungary, which does not comply with the EU membership standards expected from candidates and potential candidates and is behaving as a so-called “Trojan horse” working to undermine the credibility of the EU’s enlargement policy altogether;

Or. en

Amendment 159

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9a. Notes with concern the recent developments in Serbia; reiterates the fact that Serbia has not imposed sanctions against Russia; notes that China’s presence and influence in Serbia have increased substantially in recent years; takes the view that, as a result, Serbia is not in a position to become a Member State of the EU;

Or. fi

Amendment 160

Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9 a. In candidate countries where progress towards EU membership is lacking, the EU should reinforce its assistance to value-driven pro-EU actors in civil society who are committed to reforms and European values;

Or. en

Amendment 161

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9b. Points out that Türkiye has been a candidate country for EU membership since 1999; stresses that Türkiye has occupied the northern part of Cyprus for more than 50 years; points out that Türkiye has tens of thousands of political prisoners and that the country is well on the way to becoming an authoritarian state; emphasises that, as a result, Türkiye is not in a position to become a Member State of the EU;

Or. fi

Amendment 162

Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9 b. Calls on the Council to grant Kosovo candidate status as a concrete step towards the integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union;

Or. en

Amendment 163

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

9c. Points out that Georgia has drifted further and further away from democratic principles; emphasises that the fraudulent elections held on 26 October 2024 and the undemocratic laws enacted by the Georgian Dream party have effectively halted Georgia’s progress towards the EU; underlines the fact that the majority of the Georgian people still support the country’s European orientation;

Or. fi

Amendment 164

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

10. Considers that the process of preparing for enlargement should proceed in parallel within both the EU and enlargement countries to safeguard the effective functioning of an enlarged Union;

10. Considers that the process of preparing for enlargement should proceed in parallel within both the EU and enlargement countries to safeguard the effective functioning of an enlarged Union, without altering the balance of competences between the Union and the Member States;

Or. en

Amendment 165

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

10. Considers that the process of preparing for enlargement should proceed in parallel within both the EU and enlargement countries to safeguard the effective functioning of an enlarged Union;

10. Considers that the process of preparing for enlargement should proceed in parallel within both the EU and enlargement countries to safeguard the effective functioning of an enlarged Union, while respecting the sovereignty of each Member State;

Or. en

Amendment 166

Geadis Geadi, Emmanouil Fragkos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11. Reiterates its call for the EU institutions and the Member States to undertake the necessary reforms to ensure that the lack of such reforms does not delay the accession of new Member States;

deleted

Or. el

Amendment 167

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11. Reiterates its call for the EU institutions and the Member States to undertake the necessary reforms to ensure that the lack of such reforms does not delay the accession of new Member States;

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 168

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11. Reiterates its call for the EU institutions and the Member States to undertake the necessary reforms to ensure that the lack of such reforms does not delay the accession of new Member States;

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 169

Vangelis Meimarakis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11. Reiterates its call for the EU institutions and the Member States to undertake the necessary reforms to ensure that the lack of such reforms does not delay the accession of new Member States;

11. Reiterates its call for the EU institutions and the Member States to undertake the necessary reforms; primarily in order to make the EU stronger and enhance European sovereignty;

Or. en

Amendment 170

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11 a. Notes that the Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), presented in summer 2025, clearly identifies enlargement as one of the Union’s strategic priorities; highlights that enlargement constitutes a central pillar of the Global Europe Instrument, representing 21% of its budget — €43.1 billion — and covering all current and potential candidate countries, as well as partners in the Eastern Neighbourhood, with targeted funding for pre-accession assistance, institutional strengthening, and the EU’s internal preparations for future accessions;

Or. en

Amendment 171

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11 b. Stresses that the inclusion of a revision clause, allowing the MFF to be adjusted should new Member States join during the 2028–2034 period, sends a strong and encouraging signal to those candidates that are most advanced in the accession process; insists that if enlargement is to remain a genuine political priority for the Union, the final MFF — expected to be adopted by the end of 2027 — must fully reflect this commitment;

Or. en

Amendment 172

Vangelis Meimarakis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 173

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 174

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 175

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 176

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Rejects the introduction of qualified majority voting (QMV) in areas relevant to the accession process insisting that unanimity remains essential to protect the sovereign interests of Member States;

Or. en

Amendment 177

Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Regrets that the overuse of unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process has repeatedly slowed down EU enlargement; and calls on the Council to use all the available instruments provided by the TEU to overcome blockades in the enlargement process;

Or. en

Amendment 178

Alice Teodorescu Måwe

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Repeats its call for the EU’s capacity to act to be enhanced through the introduction of qualified majority voting (QMV) in areas relevant to the accession process by abolishing, in particular, the requirement for unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process when deciding on the start of the accession negotiation process as well as the opening and closing of individual negotiating clusters and chapters; regrets that the overuse of unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process has repeatedly slowed down EU enlargement; recalls that Article 49 TEU enables a move to QMV without requiring Treaty changes; emphasises, however, how important it is to restrict the number of areas that are exempt from unanimity, so as not to undermine the legitimacy of the Union and the trust that the public in the Member States have in it, and underlines, therefore, that tax policy and the multiannual financial framework must never be subject to QMV;

Or. sv

Amendment 179

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Repeats its call to maintain the unanimous vote in areas relevant to the accession process in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process when deciding on the start of the accession negotiation process as well as the opening and closing of individual negotiating clusters and chapters;

Or. en

Amendment 180

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Repeats its call for the EU’s capacity to act to be enhanced through the introduction of qualified majority voting (QMV) in areas relevant to the accession process by abolishing, in particular, the requirement for unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process when deciding on the start of the accession negotiation process as well as the opening and closing of individual negotiating clusters and chapters; regrets that the overuse of unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process, in particular for North Macedonia and lately also for Ukraine, has repeatedly slowed down EU enlargement; recalls that Article 49 TEU enables a move to QMV without requiring Treaty changes, while emphasising that individual negotiating frameworks of candidate countries provide a legal basis for the decision-making on their accession matters and that those can only be changed with a unanimous decision of the Member States;

Or. en

Amendment 181

Andrzej Halicki

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Repeats its call for the EU’s capacity to act to be enhanced through the streamlining of the accession process and the trust between the Council and the Commission; regrets that the overuse of unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process has repeatedly slowed down EU enlargement; Member States

Or. en

Amendment 182

Geadis Geadi, Emmanouil Fragkos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Opposes the introduction of qualified majority voting in areas relevant to the accession process and underlines that the requirement for unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process is an essential institutional tool to safeguard the principles, interests and sovereignty of all Member States; expresses strong opposition to any attempt to abolish unanimity in relation to the opening of accession negotiations, as well as the opening and closing of negotiating clusters and chapters; considers that unanimity does not unduly slow down enlargement, but that it ensures legitimacy, equal participation and protection of the vital national interests of all Member States; underlines that Article 49 TEU cannot be interpreted as a basis for the systematic circumvention of unanimity and calls on the Union to preserve the unanimous nature of decision-making in the critical steps of the enlargement process.

Or. el

Amendment 183

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Repeats its call for the EU’s capacity to act to be enhanced through the introduction of qualified majority voting (QMV) in areas relevant to the accession process by abolishing, in particular, the requirement for unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process when deciding on the start of the accession negotiation process as well as the opening and closing of individual negotiating clusters and chapters, while keeping unanimity only for the step of final accession; regrets that the overuse of unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process has repeatedly slowed down EU enlargement and is undermining the EU’s efficiency and credibility, while frustrating citizens and undermining popular support for the EU integration; recalls that Article 49 TEU enables a move to QMV without requiring Treaty changes;

Or. en

Amendment 184

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Welcomes the overuse of unanimity in the intermediate steps in the enlargement process; recalls that the narrative claiming Article 49 TEU enables a move to Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) without treaty changes is false; emphasizes that any modification of voting rules in the Council requires formal amendments to the TEU or TFEU, and that accession procedures under Article 49 remain entirely distinct from changes to decision-making processes;

Or. en

Amendment 185

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Rejects the extension of qualified majority voting to decisions related to the enlargement process and insists that unanimity constitutes a fundamental safeguard of the sovereignty of Member States; considers that delays in enlargement are political in nature and cannot be remedied through procedural changes; emphasises that Article 49 TEU must not be used to circumvent the Treaties or the essential role of national consent in accession decisions;

Or. en

Amendment 186

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 187

Christophe Gomart

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12a. Reiterates that the stability and effectiveness of the Union must not be undermined under any circumstances and stresses that each Member State remains fully sovereign in deciding on any enlargement, as this competence cannot be delegated or transferred; recalls, pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, that the decision on the accession of a new Member State falls exclusively to the Member States; calls, therefore, for any decision on the accession process, which is an essential element of Member States' sovereignty, to remain subject to unanimity, in accordance with the Treaties and their spirit;

Or. fr

Amendment 188

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12 a. Reiterates its position that, in addition to improving the decision making process by implementing QMV in areas such as the protection of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the MFF, sanctions and other relevant foreign policy decisions, institutional reforms concerning the workable size and efficient functioning of key EU institutions must be considered, which includes composition of the Commission, the size of the Parliament, and the system of rotating presidencies of the Council; highlights that all of these reforms must strengthen citizens’ participation and involvement;

Or. en

Amendment 189

Kinga Gál, Jaroslav Bžoch, Viktória Ferenc, András László, Roberto Vannacci

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12 a. Stresses that recent proposals to abolish unanimity in enlargement-related decision-making represent a profound departure from the established legal framework and the long-standing intergovernmental nature of this policy area, as clearly enshrined in the Treaties; reaffirms that unanimity has always served as a fundamental safeguard ensuring the sovereignty, legitimate interests, and equal standing of all Member States in decisions of strategic importance, therefore cautions against attempts to erode this principle;

Or. en

Amendment 190

Geadis Geadi, Emmanouil Fragkos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union;

13. Stresses that the EU must first and foremost ensure the full and effective implementation of existing sectoral policies and that the accession of new Member States cannot replace or alter the core of existing policies; expresses reservations about generalised revisions of sectoral policies on the pretext of enlargement; underlines that protecting the effective functioning of the Union requires stable rules rather than constant adjustments based on existing or future candidatures;

Or. el

Amendment 191

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union;

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union; underlines that cohesion policy and the common agricultural policy play a central role in promoting convergence among EU Member States and should be safeguarded when designing financial frameworks for an enlarged European Union;

Or. en

Amendment 192

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union;

13. Considers that more efforts must be done to increase the acceptability of future enlargement steps across EU Member States' public opinions, answering legitimate concerns and finding appropriate solutions to the challenges created by accession of new countries on major EU policies, such as cohesion policy or the Common Agricultural Policy, as key EU priorities;

Or. en

Amendment 193

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union;

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union; welcomes the forthcoming pre-enlargement policy reviews as an essential step in preparing the Union for new members;

Or. en

Amendment 194

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union;

13. Considers that sectoral policy review must include an economic risk-assessment to ensure that new Member States do not weaken the Union’s financial stability or become permanent net beneficiaries of the EU budget;

Or. en

Amendment 195

Vangelis Meimarakis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union;

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary in order for the EU to be fit for Enlargement and to ensure that an enlarged Union will continue to function effectively

Or. en

Amendment 196

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union;

13. Considers a review of EU sectoral policies necessary to assess how and if to accommodate new Member States and ensure the efficient functioning of an enlarged Union;

Or. en

Amendment 197

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13 a. Highlights that enlargement requires financial reforms to address challenges in cohesion and agricultural policies, among others, and to ensure the EU budget’s continuous capacity to deliver on existing programs and political priorities; emphasizes the importance of considering the accession of new members when preparing the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF);

Or. en

Amendment 198

Vangelis Meimarakis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14. Acknowledges the importance of the broad application of gradual integration into EU common policies, such as the single market, for candidate countries that make substantial progress on EU-related reforms; stresses that while gradual integration of candidate countries can help them implement the EU acquis and thus make the transition towards EU membership smoother, it cannot replace full membership of the EU;

14. Acknowledges that gradual integration tools are important for achieving sufficient and substantial economic and social convergence between the EU and candidates before their accession, in order to avoid negative consequences for both sides afterwards. In this vein, stresses the importance of the broad application of gradual integration into EU common policies, such as the single Market, for countries that have already made substantial progress on EU-related reforms in a merit-based and reversible manner; invites the Commission to assess the progress achieved as regards the implementation of the relevant Growth Plans and facilities and to focus on regional integration measures in the context of the Common regional markets; reiterates that while gradual integration between the EU and countries can help them implement the EU acquis and thus make the transition towards EU membership smoother, it cannot replace full membership of the EU; highlights the necessity of adequate safeguards for the integrity of the Single Market, in order to ensure a level playing field among candidates and between candidates and Member States.

Or. en

Amendment 199

Michał Szczerba

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14. Acknowledges the importance of the broad application of gradual integration into EU common policies, such as the single market, for candidate countries that make substantial progress on EU-related reforms, while fully preserving the integrity of the EU internal market and a level playing field; stresses that while gradual integration of candidate countries can help them implement the EU acquis and thus make the transition towards EU membership smoother, it cannot replace full membership of the EU;

Or. en

Amendment 200

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14. Acknowledges the importance of the broad application of gradual integration into EU common policies, such as the single market, including the digital single market, for candidate countries that make substantial progress on EU-related reforms; stresses that while gradual integration of candidate countries can help them implement the EU acquis and thus make the transition towards EU membership smoother, it cannot replace full membership of the EU;

Or. en

Amendment 201

Nathalie Loiseau

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14. Acknowledges the importance of the broad application of gradual integration into EU common policies for candidate countries that make in parallel substantial progress on EU-related reforms; stresses that gradual integration of candidate countries can help them implement the EU acquis as well as firmly anchor them to the EU and thus make the transition towards EU membership smoother;

Or. en

Amendment 202

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14 a. Stresses that the security of the Western Balkans and of Bosnia and Herzegovina directly influences the stability of the entire continent; highlights the importance of including more Bosnia and Herzegovina and other Western Balkan countries in EU defence initiatives as well of increasing defence industrial cooperation with the region; points out moreover the need to deepen cooperation between the EU and the region in airspace protection and critical infrastructure resilience; calls on the EU to take advantage of the expertise of Western Balkan countries in defence industries, by procuring military equipment from these countries; emphasises this approach is necessary as the failure to engage with the Western Balkans' defence industry could reinforce the influence of other global powers in the region;

Or. en

Amendment 203

Davor Ivo Stier

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14 a. Calls on the Commission to expand the gradual integration approach with more ambitious goals, including the possibility of tailor-made arrangements for the adoption of Euro, as it is already the case in Montenegro and Kosovo;

Or. en

Amendment 204

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14 b. Calls for the gradual inclusion of Western Balkan partner countries into PESCO projects and EU defence initiatives through joint training, exercises, and information exchange; underlines that enhanced cooperation and interoperability with these partners would contribute to capacity building and strengthen European resilience; stresses that this process would support their path towards Euro-Atlantic integration and reinforce the stability of the region;

Or. en

Amendment 205

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 206

Ivaylo Valchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15. Reiterates its suggestion that the enlargement process should be supported by the early involvement of candidate countries in the functioning of the EU institutions, e.g. through observer status in relevant bodies and institutions, including Parliament; Reiterates however, that such involvement cannot be perceived as a substitution for full membership; reiterates that any candidate or potential candidate country must enjoy full membership rights once the accession process is completed;

Or. en

Amendment 207

Vangelis Meimarakis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15. Reiterates its suggestion that the enlargement process could be supported by the involvement of candidate countries in the functioning of the EU institutions already before their accession, e.g. through invitations to attend informal meetings of the Parliament and the Council of the EU, on an ad hoc basis and on the condition of prior consultation with the Members of the Parliament or the Member States, respectively;

Or. en

Amendment 208

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15. Reiterates its suggestion that the enlargement process should not be supported by the early involvement of candidate countries in the functioning of EU institutions, e.g. through observer status in relevant bodies and institutions, including Parliament, as this would risk normalising accession before the criteria are fully met;

Or. en

Amendment 209

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 210

Stanislav Stoyanov

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 211

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15 a. Reiterates its calls to urgently improve the protection of the rule of law within the EU, which is as relevant now as it is for an enlarged Union, including via

- significantly strengthening the budgetary conditionality, making it an instrument to sanction breaches of the law and of European values as enshrined in Article 2 TEU

- extending the scope of the budgetary conditionality to other behaviours that are detrimental to the sound financial management of the EU budget

- integrating an effective rule of law conditionality in all future EU funds

- improving the efficiency of Article 7 TEU and its procedures, including an obligation on the Council to act and automatic sanctions with the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) acting as final arbiter

Or. en

Amendment 212

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15 a. Stresses that gradual integration opportunities should be available for the candidate countries in line with the merit-based and conditionality approach; highlights that it is essential to ensure the reversibility of gradual integration in cases a candidate country backslides in delivering on commitments;

Or. en

Amendment 213

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15 a. Stresses the importance of fostering public awareness within European societies about EU enlargement and the key role it will play in future-proofing European integration; highlights how a successful enlargement process will significantly depend on a clear and transparent communication strategy;

Or. en

Amendment 214

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15 b. Underlines that future member states should have equal rights and obligations as current member states and strongly opposes creating different classes of membership; underlines that the enlargement process should be used to trigger reforms and rule of law safeguards should apply to all Member States;

Or. en

Amendment 215

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that in addition to setting individual reform targets, roadmaps and intermediate timelines for each accession country, the EU should also establish clear and predictable timelines for the accession of the candidate countries most advanced on their accession path in order to avoid losing momentum and credibility; believes that EU enlargement should take place as soon as all accession conditions are met in the candidate countries concerned;

16. Stresses that EU enlargement could take place only once all accession conditions without exception are met in the candidate countries concerned;

Or. en

Amendment 216

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that in addition to setting individual reform targets, roadmaps and intermediate timelines for each accession country, the EU should increase transparency on them to facilitate public oversight, and also establish clear and predictable timelines for the accession of the candidate countries most advanced on their accession path in order to avoid losing momentum and credibility; believes that EU enlargement should take place as soon as all accession conditions are met in the candidate country concerned;

Or. en

Amendment 217

Vangelis Meimarakis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that in addition to setting individual reform targets, roadmaps and intermediate timelines for each accession country, the EU should also establish clear timelines for the implementation of accession related reforms by the candidate countries most advanced on their accession path in order to avoid losing momentum and credibility; believes that EU enlargement should take place as soon as all accession conditions are met in the candidate countries concerned based on a unanimous Council decision;

Or. en

Amendment 218

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that in addition to setting individual reform targets, roadmaps and intermediate timelines for each accession country, the EU should reinforce the transparency of the process and establish clear and predictable timelines for the accession of the candidate countries most advanced on their accession path in order to avoid losing momentum and credibility; believes that EU enlargement should take place as soon as all accession conditions are met in the candidate countries concerned;

Or. en

Amendment 219

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that in addition to setting individual reform targets, roadmaps and intermediate timelines for each accession country, the EU should also establish clear and predictable timelines for the accession of the candidate countries most advanced on their accession path in order to avoid losing momentum and credibility; believes that EU enlargement should take place when and if all accession conditions are met in the candidate countries concerned;

Or. en

Amendment 220

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 a. Welcomes Albania’s continued commitment to EU-oriented reforms and the opening of all negotiation chapters in only 13 months; insists on the importance of inclusive political debate and respect for the role of the political opposition as an essential component of a well-functioning democracy; stresses the need to strengthen the transparency, accountability and inclusiveness of the accession process, including its parliamentary dimension; calls on Albania to further strengthen the independence of the judiciary, ensure effective implementation of media freedom legislation, and strengthen the fight against corruption; welcomes the adoption of implementing legislation on minority rights, including self-identification and the use of minority languages at local level, and stresses the need for the full and effective implementation of primary and implementing legislation;

Or. en

Amendment 221

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 a. Stresses that key reforms affecting the functioning and independence of institutions must not be rushed or politically instrumentalised, particularly in candidate countries with complex constitutional arrangements; underlines that accelerated procedures or pressure to meet political timelines must not come at the expense of the legal quality and institutional integrity of the reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 222

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16a. Considers it unacceptable that Türkiye continues to be a beneficiary of IPA III funding; calls for Türkiye to be removed from the list of candidate countries and for the pre-accession assistance granted to the country to be discontinued; points out, for example, that between 2021 and 2023 the EU allocated over EUR 751 million to Türkiye via the IPA;

Or. fi

Amendment 223

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 b. Welcomes Bosnia and Herzegovina’s candidate status and recent reform steps, including the adoption of the Reform Agenda for the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans; expresses deep concern over secessionist rhetoric and obstructionism that undermine the country’s constitutional order and European trajectory; calls for renewed political commitment to effectively launch accession negotiations, advance EU-related reforms, ensure full CFSP alignment, and strengthen functional and effective state institutions; urges the authorities to guarantee fair competition and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the October 2026 general elections;

Or. en

Amendment 224

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 c. Recognises Kosovo’s progress in strengthening democratic institutions and alignment with the EU acquis; reiterates its call on the Member States in the Council to mandate the Commission to present its questionnaire and to submit its opinion on the merits of the country’s application; regrets the ongoing political crisis in Kosovo, and the institutional paralysis following the 2025 elections; urges all political actors to engage meaningfully to restore institutional functionality; reiterates the importance of constructive engagement in the EU-facilitated Dialogue with Serbia and urges both parties to fully implement all past agreements; calls for the immediate lifting of the EU measures against Kosovo, which are no longer justified given that all necessary requirements have been met and that they hinder the resumption of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue in good faith; notes that some historical minority communities still lack formal recognition and protection; calls on Kosovo to ensure their rights are fully recognised in law and reflected in the Constitution;

Or. en

Amendment 225

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 d. Condemns the severe democratic backsliding in Georgia, including Georgian Dream’s crackdown on critics, political opponents, media and civil society, and its departure from the country’s EU path; reiterates strong solidarity with the Georgian people and their legitimate European aspirations, expressed through mass protests despite repression; stresses that Georgia’s EU integration has effectively been suspended due to continued democratic deterioration, the rigged 2024 parliamentary elections, the capture of state institutions, and the adoption of legislation incompatible with EU values; stresses that it does not recognise the self-proclaimed authorities established following the rigged parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to review the implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in the light of the blatant breach of democratic principles, human rights and fundamental freedoms; notes that Georgia, under the current government, is moving in a direction that puts it at risk of becoming a Russian vassal state like Belarus;

Or. en

Amendment 226

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 e. Commends Moldova’s strong political commitment to European integration and the progress achieved in judicial, administrative and anti-corruption reforms despite sustained pressure from Russia; welcomes that the recent parliamentary elections again confirmed the country’s clear European orientation and public support for its reform agenda; encourages Moldova to further strengthen institutional resilience, minority protections and energy security; stresses, in this context, the importance of safeguarding minority rights provisions related to language use in education, public administration and local governance; underlines that the ongoing regional governance reform must be conducted transparently and inclusively, while taking into consideration the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the relevant recommendations of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, to avoid creating political imbalances or weakening the representation of minorities;

Or. en

Amendment 227

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 f. Acknowledges Montenegro as the most advanced negotiating country and welcomes recent steps aimed at stabilising the political environment and re-energising EU-related reforms; calls for continued progress on rule-of-law benchmarks, judicial reform and the fight against organised crime; condemns attempts by Russia and neighbouring countries to exploit ethnic tensions in Montenegro in order to inflame conflicts and divide communities; welcomes Montenegro’s withdrawal of the Law on Foreign Agents and urges the country to ensure that all policies and legislation fully comply with the EU acquis and international standards;

Or. en

Amendment 228

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 g (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 g. Reaffirms its support for North Macedonia’s European perspective; calls on North Macedonia’s Government to fulfil its obligations under the EU Negotiating Framework and the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 18 July 2022, including implementing in good faith with tangible results the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation with Bulgaria and its Protocols in order to enter into the next phase of the negotiation process; calls on North Macedonia to further strengthen fundamental rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities and communities, actively investigate and prosecute hate crimes, and combat hate speech in public life;

Or. en

Amendment 229

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 h (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 h. Expresses concern over Serbia’s limited CFSP alignment, democratic backsliding and declining media freedom; stresses that progress in accession talks depends on substantial CFSP alignment and constructive engagement in the Dialogue with Kosovo; calls for full and transparent legal proceedings into the 1 November 2024 canopy collapse at Novi Sad train station, ensuring accountability for those responsible; condemns the violence, intimidation and police repression against protesters during the anti-government student protests in the country following the tragedy; expresses deep concern over systemic issues highlighted by protesters, including threats to civil liberties and erosion of the separation of powers; notes that the protesters are demanding transparency, accountability, and genuine democratic reforms including free and fair snap elections; expresses concern over Serbia’s attempts to establish a sphere of influence through the nationalist “Serbian World” narrative, similar to the “Russian World” concept, undermining the sovereignty and stability of neighbouring countries; urges Serbian authorities to cease rhetoric and actions that spread division or hostility toward minorities and neighbouring countries, as such behaviour is incompatible with EU values and Serbia’s EU accession commitments; stresses that Serbia must ensure the full protection of minority rights, including equal access to education, language use, cultural expression and political representation, in line with European standards, and prevent any form of pressure, intimidation or assimilation as credible progress in these areas is essential for Serbia's EU accession path;

Or. en

Amendment 230

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 i (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 i. Recognises Türkiye’s strategic importance as a NATO member and its role in regional stability, cooperation and connectivity; encourages further progress on strategic infrastructure projects such as the Black Sea Highway; welcomes progress made in relations with Armenia, and urges for the opening of the border between the two countries; welcomes the disarmament of the PKK, started in July this year and notes the ongoing work of the so-called “terror-free Türkiye” renewed peace initiative; expresses concerns about democratic backsliding in the country, notably persistent violations of human rights, and political pressure on opposition and civil society, especially the case of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu;

Or. en

Amendment 231

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 j (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 j. Commends Ukraine for its remarkable determination to pursue reforms in extremely challenging circumstances created by Russia’s war of aggression; notes the US administration’s efforts towards ending Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; underscores that a strategy for a fair and long-lasting peace for Ukraine must be based on international law, preserve and restore Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and be acceptable to Ukraine and its people; underlines that any peace agreement must not put limitations on Ukraine’s ability to defend its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and, as an effect thereof, make it vulnerable to future attacks; underlines that such an agreement must offer credible security guarantees to Ukraine; reiterates unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, security and future in the EU; urges the Commission to actively support international justice mechanisms and ensure accountability for war crimes and crimes of aggression; urges the Commission to propose legislation that utilises the immobilised Russian foreign assets for Ukraine’s reconstruction; calls for the inclusion of all assets of the Russian state, Russian local authorities, Russian state-owned companies, and of individuals on the EU sanctions list, and for those assets to be used to compensate Ukraine for the damage caused by this war;

Or. en

Amendment 232

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 k (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16 k. Welcomes Armenia’s recent steps towards formally applying for EU membership and acknowledges the clear political commitment expressed by the Armenian authorities to advance on a European path; stands ready to support Armenia in this endeavour, and encourages continued implementation of comprehensive reforms in democracy, the rule of law, judicial independence, and the fight against corruption; commends Armenia’s growing alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), its efforts to strengthen resilience and diversify strategic partnerships and efforts for normalisation of relations with Türkiye and long-lasting peace with Azerbaijan;

Or. en

Amendment 233

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17. Considers pre-accession financial assistance, including the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova facilities, pivotal for ensuring that enlargement countries receive structured financial support for institutional and economic transformation; stresses that all EU financial assistance must observe and maintain pre-accession support conditionality, including on the rule of law, in order to safeguard the financial interests of the EU and citizens of both parties;

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 234

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17. Regrets the continued allocation of pre-accession financial assistance, including to the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova, as such mechanisms risk encouraging financial dependency rather than genuine reform and place an unjustifiable burden on EU taxpayers;

Or. en

Amendment 235

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 236

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek, Hermann Tertsch

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 237

Nathalie Loiseau, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17. Considers pre-accession financial assistance, including the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova facilities, pivotal for ensuring that enlargement countries receive structured financial support for institutional and economic transformation; stresses that all EU financial assistance must observe and maintain pre-accession support conditionality, including on the rule of law and the fight against corruption, in order to safeguard the financial interests of the EU and citizens of both parties;

Or. en

Amendment 238

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17 a. Calls for adequate pre-accession funding and a flexible new Multi-annual Financial Framework, suitable for the expected EU enlargement during its application; furthermore, calls for the Commission to improve the consistency, efficiency, visibility and transparency of pre-accession assistance, clearly reflecting the priorities in the fundamental areas; calls on the Commission to consistently apply targeted conditionality based on clear progress benchmarks, rewarding reforms and sanctioning regression or a persistent lack of progress;

Or. en

Amendment 239

Dan Barna, Hilde Vautmans, Petras Auštrevičius, Marjan Šarec, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17 a. Calls for clear allocations and earmarking of pre-accession funds in the Global Europe pillar of the upcoming Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF); stresses that, according to estimates from the European Commission and progress reports, some candidate countries are likely to join the EU during the upcoming MFF and calls for allocations for new member states to be included in the next multi-annual budget of the EU;

Or. en

Amendment 240

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17 a. Calls for strengthened oversight and meaningful participation of civil society organisations in all stages of the Western Balkans Reform and Growth Facility, including the design of reform measures, implementation of projects and monitoring of results; stresses that civil society involvement is essential to ensure transparency, prevent misuse of funds, and maintain public accountability of beneficiary governments;

Or. en

Amendment 241

Sebastian Tynkkynen

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17a. Underlines the principle that EU candidate countries must, as a rule, demonstrate their readiness to become eligible for EU membership on their own, and that progress must not be based on or dependent on financial support from the EU;

Or. fi

Amendment 242

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

17 b. Calls for the reinstatement of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) for the 2028–2034 MFF; insists that funds must directly support rule of law, public administration reform, social and territorial cohesion, and the empowerment of local civil society actors and independent media;

Or. en

Amendment 243

Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Jordan Bardella

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 244

Geadis Geadi, Emmanouil Fragkos

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18. Highlights the importance of including candidate countries in ongoing and future EU projects on EU connectivity, transport, energy infrastructure and military mobility, so as to strengthen Europe’s security in a challenging geopolitical environment; underlines, however, that participation in projects of strategic importance requires full respect for international law, the principles of good neighbourly relations and the sovereignty of all Member States, and that any deviation from these principles precludes the possibility of participation;

Or. el

Amendment 245

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18. Highlights the importance of including candidate countries in ongoing and future EU projects on EU connectivity, transport, energy infrastructure and military mobility, so as to strengthen Europe’s security in a challenging geopolitical environment; underlines the importance of extending the ‘roam-like-at-home’ framework to enlargement countries, in order to enhance connectivity, people-to-people contacts and the practical benefits of European integration;

Or. en

Amendment 246

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18. Highlights the importance of including candidate countries in ongoing and future EU projects on EU connectivity, transport, energy infrastructure, green transition, digital security, resilience and military mobility, so as to strengthen Europe’s security in a challenging geopolitical environment;

Or. en

Amendment 247

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 a. Stresses the strategic importance of the Black Sea region for the security and prosperity of the entire European continent; underlines the need to enhance connectivity between Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, and Türkiye across transport, energy, and digital infrastructures, in order to reinforce regional resilience, diversify supply chains, and secure alternative trade routes; highlights that stronger Black Sea cooperation is indispensable for ensuring the effectiveness of the Solidarity Lanes, enabling reconstruction efforts in Ukraine, supporting Moldova’s economic stability, and integrating the wider region into the EU’s economic and security architecture;

Or. en

Amendment 248

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 a. Notes the importance of strengthening the role of candidate countries in European security and defence and supports their merit-based participation in such EU instruments, programmes and projects as PESCO, SAFE, EDIP and European Defence Fund, and observer status at the European Defence Agency; urges including them in the discussion and commitment to providing security guarantees for Ukraine;

Or. en

Amendment 249

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 a. Welcomes the progress made in reducing roaming charges between the EU and the Western Balkans; calls on the Commission to accelerate efforts to extend such roaming arrangements to all enlargement countries in order to achieve ‘Roam Like at Home’ for all candidate and potential candidate countries as soon as possible;

Or. en

Amendment 250

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 a. Recalls the importance of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans in the EU path of the region; calls for increased focus on investments in human capital to foster competitiveness and innovation in the Western Balkans;

Or. en

Amendment 251

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 b. Stresses the strategic importance of infrastructure projects in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood and Western Balkans for strengthening EU and NATO geostrategic autonomy; highlights the Pan-European transport corridors, notably Corridor VIII as a direct Adriatic–Black Sea link and key NATO logistics route, and calls for their swift completion and full operationalisation; underlines in this respect the importance of extending TEN-T Corridor IX (Baltic–Black–Aegean Sea) to include the Chisinau–Constanța-Varna-Bourgas route; welcomes and urges the rapid advancement of the Vertical Gas Corridor from Alexandroupolis to Odessa to enhance energy security and diversify gas supplies in Central and Southeastern Europe;

Or. en

Amendment 252

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 b. Underlines Georgia’s strategic importance as a pivotal link in the Middle Corridor, connecting Europe with Central and East Asia through a secure, reliable, and diversification-oriented transit route; stresses that strengthening Georgia’s transport, digital, and energy connectivity is essential for reducing Europe’s dependence on vulnerable routes and enhancing the EU’s economic resilience; highlights that the Middle Corridor cannot reach its full potential without a stable, reform-oriented, and EU-linked Georgia, and therefore calls for deeper political engagement, targeted investments, and accelerated integration of Georgia into the EU’s connectivity, transport, and energy initiatives;

Or. en

Amendment 253

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 b. Welcomes the tangible results of gradual integration for citizens, notably the further expansion of EU’s ‘Roam like at home’ zone and of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA);

Or. en

Amendment 254

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 c. Highlights that the most rewarding and best-received result of gradual integration is visa liberalisation; supports the new rules that would allow the suspension of visa liberalisation for nationals of enlargement countries responsible for backsliding on democracy and grave human rights violations, including the persecution and violence of peaceful protesters, civil society, media workers, and opposition politicians;

Or. en

Amendment 255

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 c. Stresses the strategic importance of deepening defence cooperation between the EU and all enlargement countries; underlines that closer integration into the EU’s security and defence structures, including participation in CSDP missions, military mobility initiatives and defence capability development, strengthens collective security and resilience against external hybrid threats;

Or. en

Amendment 256

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 d (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 d. Highlights the importance of continuing to assist enlargement countries in achieving gender equality and eliminating discrimination, gender-based violence and domestic violence;

Or. en

Amendment 257

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 e (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 e. Stresses upon the importance to further enable enlargement countries to ensure the protection of children’s rights and provide access to quality education for children and young people, as well as finding tangible solutions to youth unemployment;

Or. en

Amendment 258

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 f (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

18 f. Underlines the need to strengthen and better align funding for the implementation of environmental, climate, and animal welfare measures, as well as capacity-building support for candidate countries; notes that given their cross-sectoral nature and high cost, these measures are crucial for sustainable development, alignment with the EU Green Deal and animal welfare legislation, and integration into the internal market;

Or. en

Amendment 259

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone, Nikola Bartůšek

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 260

Nathalie Loiseau, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Reiterates its calls on the Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service to strengthen proactive and strategic communication efforts on the tangible benefits of EU membership in enlargement countries and within the Member States, by developing tailor-made, fact-based, lucid and results-oriented communication strategies rather than relying on generic communication campaigns; highlights, in this context, the crucial role of young people, as youth movements have repeatedly proven key in contributing to pro-democratic activism in candidate countries; reiterates, furthermore, its call on the Commission to ensure full visibility and public awareness of the EU’s support and investments in candidate countries, including when these are channelled via international organisations; emphasises such preparation should not be limited to candidate countries but must equally be pursued within the Member States, through enhanced grassroots engagement, civil-society involvement and people-to-people contacts between candidate countries and EU citizens throughout the accession process; insists that while the US has stopped its support to independent media and civil society in candidate countries, the EU has a strong interest in stepping in massively and rapidly;

Or. en

Amendment 261

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Reiterates its calls on the Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service to strengthen proactive and strategic communication efforts on the tangible benefits of EU membership in enlargement countries and within the Member States, by developing tailor-made, fact-based communication strategies rather than relying on generic communication campaigns; calls on the HR/VP to propose a coherent, strategic communication strategy that highlights the benefits of the EU’s external action and underpins EU objectives with a specific focus on candidate countries; stresses that this strategy should also strengthen the visibility of Union-funded projects with a clear signposting including the words “European Union” and the flag of the EU, in order to counter attempts by malicious actors to undermine the EU’s initiatives; highlights, in this context, the crucial role of young people, as youth movements have repeatedly proven key in contributing to pro-democratic activism in candidate countries; reiterates, furthermore, its call on the Commission to ensure full visibility and public awareness of the EU’s support and investments in candidate countries, including when these are channelled via international organisations;

Or. en

Amendment 262

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Reiterates its calls on the Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service to strengthen proactive and strategic communication efforts on the tangible benefits of EU membership in enlargement countries and within the Member States, by developing tailor-made, fact-based communication strategies rather than relying on generic communication campaigns; urges the EU institutions to foster inclusive public debates on enlargement, engaging the general public, workers and trade unions and civil society organisations in meaningful debate and enabling their effective participation in the process; underlines the importance of greater grassroots engagement of citizens in the enlargement process in both the EU Member States and accession countries; highlights, in this context, the crucial role of young people, as youth movements have repeatedly proven key in contributing to pro-democratic activism in candidate countries; reiterates, furthermore, its call on the Commission to ensure full visibility and public awareness of the EU’s support and investments in candidate countries, including when these are channelled via international organisations;

Or. en

Amendment 263

Alexander Sell

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Rejects calls on the Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service to engage in proactive or strategic communication campaigns aimed at promoting the supposed benefits of EU membership in candidate countries; stresses that EU institutions should refrain from communication strategies designed to steer public opinion toward membership;

Or. en

Amendment 264

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19. Reiterates its calls on the Council, the Commission and the European External Action Service to strengthen proactive and strategic communication efforts on the tangible benefits of EU membership in enlargement countries and within the Member States, by developing tailor-made, fact-based communication strategies rather than relying on generic communication campaigns; highlights, in this context, the crucial role of young people, as youth movements have repeatedly proven key in contributing to pro-democratic activism in candidate countries; reiterates, furthermore, its call on the Commission to ensure full visibility and public awareness of the EU’s support and investments in candidate countries, including when these are channelled via international organisations; emphasises that citizens’ support will be decisive in ratification processes, and communication must therefore appeal to both reason and emotion;

Or. en

Amendment 265

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 266

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19 a. Highlights the crucial role of civil society organisations in promoting fact-based public discourse on EU integration, countering disinformation, and facilitating informed public debate; calls on the Commission and Member States to systematically involve civil society actors in strategic communication efforts related to enlargement and EU-supported reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 267

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19 a. Emphasizes the key role of the authorities and political leaders in the enlargement countries in building cross-party cooperation towards EU accession reforms, maintaining cross-societal consensus for EU membership, and communicating the benefits of EU accession to citizens efficiently and constantly;

Or. en

Amendment 268

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

19 b. Urges the Commission, including at the highest level, to use clearer and more direct language in its public communication, consistently highlighting significant shortcomings, lack of progress, and any backsliding, particularly in the area of the rule of law, with a view to effectively leveraging conditionality, upholding the Union’s fundamental values, and to prevent a loss of confidence among pro-European and pro-democratic forces who expect a firm and transparent stance;

Or. en

Amendment 269

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Calls for the EU institutions and the Member States to fully engage in further strengthening the reform processes in the candidate countries, in particular by enhancing their administrative capacities through targeted capacity-building programmes; calls to boost academic and educational cooperation among the EU and enlargement countries by encouraging training courses focused on European values and the rule of law, good governance, public administration and eradication of corruption and creating a venue for joint training for public officials from enlargement countries, including those from local and regional authorities; highlights the success of twinning projects in transferring sectoral expertise, and stresses the need to build on this positive experience;

Or. en

Amendment 270

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Calls for the EU institutions and the Member States to fully engage in further strengthening the reform processes in the candidate countries, in particular by enhancing their administrative capacities through targeted capacity-building programmes; highlights the success of twinning projects in transferring sectoral expertise, and stresses the need to build on this positive experience, not least to increase ownership of the enlargement process within the member states; stresses that capacity-building programmes should also prioritise strengthening independent civil society organisations and safeguarding their operational space, recognising their indispensable role in democratic oversight of the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 271

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20. Calls for the EU institutions and the Member States to fully engage in further strengthening the reform processes in the candidate countries, in particular by enhancing their administrative capacities through targeted capacity-building programmes; calls for increased support of capacities and independence of parliaments as an important cornerstone of functioning democracies; highlights the success of twinning projects in transferring sectoral expertise, and stresses the need to build on this positive experience, not least to increase ownership of the enlargement process within the Member States;

Or. en

Amendment 272

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20 a. Reiterates its call for establishment of a framework for effective cooperation between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the accession countries; encourage candidates and potential candidates for EU accession to swiftly conclude bilateral working arrangements with the EPPO in order to facilitate close cooperation and the prosecution of the misuse of EU funds, including through the secondment of national liaison officers to the EPPO;

Or. en

Amendment 273

Liudas Mažylis

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

20 a. Underlines that the accession process must not only focus on institutions but also on strengthening societal resilience; calls on the Commission to support programmes that empower local communities, volunteers and civic initiatives which promote democratic culture, European values and social cohesion;

Or. en

Amendment 274

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21. Reiterates its readiness to enhance regular and transparent dialogue and cooperation with the national parliaments of candidate and potential candidate countries, by making full use of Parliament’s existing democracy support tools and initiatives and by promoting increased parliamentary oversight of the EU accession process and related reforms;

21. Stresses the importance of upholding the democratic accountability and enhancing the parliamentary dimension of the accession process; Reiterates its readiness to enhance regular and transparent dialogue and cooperation with the national parliaments of candidate and potential candidate countries, by making full use of Parliament’s existing democracy support tools and initiatives and by promoting increased parliamentary oversight of the EU accession process and related reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 275

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21. Reiterates its readiness to enhance regular and transparent dialogue and cooperation with the national parliaments of candidate and potential candidate countries, by building up on previous positive experiences and successful formats, making full use of Parliament’s existing democracy support tools and initiatives and by promoting increased parliamentary oversight of the EU accession process and related reforms;

Or. en

Amendment 276

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21 a. Underlines the need to foster electoral reforms with the aim of ensuring undisputed free, fair and democratic election processes in all candidate and aspiring countries and strengthening the electoral process with respect to OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Venice Commission and other international commitments, obligations and standards, democratic pluralism, intra-party democracy, and the adoption of internal frameworks for integrity and fighting corruption within political parties, the transparency of party and media funding, and judicial and media independence and freedom, by setting these benchmarks as preconditions for financial support and any further progress in the accession process;

Or. en

Amendment 277

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21 a. Reiterates the European Parliament's position on the importance of opening and publishing wartime and communist historical archives; calls on all enlargement countries to ensure full and transparent access to the archives of fortmer communist state security structures, intelligence and counterintelligence services, including those of the former Yugoslav and Soviet secret service and military counterintelligence bodies where applicable, and to return archival materials to the respective governments upon request; stresses that unrestricted access to such archives is essential for truth-seeking, reconciliation and strengthening democratic governance;

Or. en

Amendment 278

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21 a. Encourages the EU and Member States to employ participatory instruments to prepare for enlargement, inviting citizens, parliamentarians, representatives of CSOs, youth movements and trade unions from candidate countries together with their EU counterparts to exchange views, increase mutual understanding and instil a sense of ownership before formal accession takes places;

Or. en

Amendment 279

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21 b. Underlines the need to uphold and enhance the EU’s constructive engagement with the authorities of both Serbia and Kosovo to achieve a comprehensive legally binding normalisation agreement based on mutual recognition between the two in the framework of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, which is crucial for both countries to advance on their respective European paths and will contribute to regional stability and prosperity;

Or. en

Amendment 280

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 c (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

21 c. Highlights the importance of full implementation of domestic and international court rulings and compliance with international obligations on war crimes and missing persons, addressing glorification of war criminals and historic revisionism;

Or. en

Amendment 281

Željana Zovko

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Is concerned by the large-scale and malicious disinformation campaigns that have been continuously conducted by Russia for many years, which have increased in intensity since the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine; highlights the need for continuous support and close cooperation with all enlargement countries facing strong external interference in their process of convergence with the EU; stresses the importance of assessing and improving the effectiveness of EU instruments designed to assist candidate countries in countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI); remains concerned by malign foreign interference and disinformation campaigns by foreign actors in BiH and calls for further actions to counter them; emphasizes this foreign interference aims to sow discord, violence, inter-ethnic tensions and to destabilise BiH; calls on the EEAS and the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina to intensify efforts in promoting benefits of closer integration and invest in communciation campaigns to fight foreign influence; welcomes the Commission’s intention to expand the proposed European Democracy Shield to the accession countries, thereby reinforcing their capacity to respond to threats such as FIMI and disinformation campaigns;

Or. en

Amendment 282

Nathalie Loiseau, Dan Barna

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Is concerned by the large-scale and malicious disinformation campaigns that have been continuously conducted by Russia and other actors for many years, which have increased in intensity since the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine; notes that candidate countries and the EU’s neighbourhood have been a clear focal point of Russian FIMI operations, with one of the aims being to discredit the EU and diminish the perceived value of EU integration; highlights the need for continuous support and close cooperation with all enlargement countries facing strong external interference in their process of convergence with the EU; stresses the importance of assessing and improving the effectiveness of EU instruments designed to assist candidate countries in countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) while prioritising a needs-based approach, building upon previous instances of cooperation and learning from the experience developed and resilience exhibited by several candidate countries in countering such hybrid operations; welcomes the Commission’s intention to expand the proposed European Democracy Shield to the accession countries, thereby reinforcing their capacity to respond to threats such as FIMI and disinformation campaigns;

Or. en

Amendment 283

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Is concerned by the large-scale and malicious disinformation campaigns that have been continuously conducted by Russia for many years, which have increased in intensity since the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine; is concerned by China’s increasing influence in the region, its long-term consequences for democratic resilience, economic security and European interests; encourages strengthened support for independent investigative media, fact-checking organisations and civil society organisations working on media literacy, as a whole-of-society approach is essential to effectively counter disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference; highlights the need for continuous support and close cooperation with all enlargement countries facing strong external interference in their process of convergence with the EU; stresses the importance of assessing and improving the effectiveness of EU instruments designed to assist candidate countries in countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI); welcomes the Commission’s intention to expand the proposed European Democracy Shield to the accession countries, thereby reinforcing their capacity to respond to threats such as FIMI and disinformation campaigns;

Or. en

Amendment 284

Roberto Vannacci, Silvia Sardone

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Stresses the importance of assessing and improving the effectiveness of EU instruments designed to assist candidate countries in countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI); welcomes the Commission’s intention to expand the proposed European Democracy Shield to the accession countries, thereby reinforcing their capacity to respond to threats such as FIMI and disinformation campaigns;

Or. en

Amendment 285

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Is concerned by the large-scale and malicious disinformation campaigns that have been continuously conducted by Russia for many years, which have increased in intensity since the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine; highlights the need for continuous support and close cooperation with all enlargement countries facing strong external interference in their process of convergence with the EU; stresses the importance of assessing and improving the effectiveness of EU instruments designed to assist candidate countries in countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI); welcomes the Commission’s intention to expand the proposed European Democracy Shield to the accession countries, thereby reinforcing their capacity to respond to threats such as FIMI and disinformation campaigns; calls on the Commission and EEAS to deepen cooperation with vulnerable enlargement countries on information resilience, cybersecurity and hybrid threats; calls on the EEAS and EU Delegations in third countries to strengthen further their respective capacities in fighting and countering disinformation and propaganda linked to the EU’s CFSP;

Or. en

Amendment 286

Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Lucia Yar

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22. Is concerned by the large-scale and malicious disinformation campaigns that have been continuously conducted by Russia for many years, which have increased in intensity since the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine; highlights the need for continuous support and close cooperation with all enlargement countries facing strong external interference in their process of convergence with the EU; urges to apply the lessons learned from the EU Partnership Mission (EUPM) in Moldova; stresses the importance of assessing and improving the effectiveness of EU instruments designed to assist candidate countries in countering foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI); welcomes the Commission’s intention to expand the proposed European Democracy Shield to the accession countries, thereby reinforcing their capacity to respond to threats such as FIMI and disinformation campaigns;

Or. en

Amendment 287

Dan Barna, Hilde Vautmans, Petras Auštrevičius, Marjan Šarec, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

Or. en

Amendment 288

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 a. Notes with concern that Russia has revised its security and foreign policy strategy to portray itself as a global defender of so-called ‘traditional values’, using this narrative as a tool to expand its influence abroad; stresses that the Russian Orthodox Church has been increasingly instrumentalised as part of this strategy, functioning as a vehicle for disinformation and soft-power projection, particularly in the countries of the former Soviet Union; underlines that such practices are designed to undermine democracy, social cohesion, and pro-European orientations; calls for the CFSP and the Enlargement Policy to integrate specific measures to counter this influence, including faith-based diplomacy, strategic communication, and support for religious communities that were victims of Soviet oppression; emphasises in this regard the importance of supporting the Metropolis of Bessarabia in Moldova and the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine in their resistance to Moscow-controlled religious structures, as part of a broader effort to defend freedom of religion, national sovereignty, and European integration; takes note of the adoption of the law allowing Orthodox parishes in Ukraine to disaffiliate from the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate and to decide freely on their new hierarchical affiliation;

Or. en

Amendment 289

Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 a. Is concerned by the growing strategic engagement of China in the Western Balkans and the EU’s neighbourhood, notably through state-directed investments under the Belt and Road Initiative, including in critical infrastructure, transport networks and the extractive and raw materials sectors; notes that such engagement, when combined with strategic infrastructure acquisition, technology transfer, cybersecurity risks, influence operations and other hybrid tactics, may undermine European security and economic sovereignty; stresses the need to assess the risks stemming from the acquisition of critical infrastructure in the Western Balkans and other enlargement countries; calls for a strengthened and more visible EU engagement in the region, including through credible investment alternatives, in order to counter growing economic dependencies and reinforce the EU’s strategic presence;

Or. en

Amendment 290

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 a. Recalls that previous enlargement rounds have fostered considerable economic growth within the new member states and the old members due to new trade and investment opportunities; underlines that free movement has provided better job prospects and higher wages, while reducing the risk of poverty by remittances significantly; stresses the ability of the enlargement process to increase the life conditions of the population of candidate countries by improving labour laws, health standards, safety at work, gender equality, digital services, education, and non-discrimination;

Or. en

Amendment 291

Tonino Picula

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 a. Considers essential for the EU to take action against the persistent issues of hate speech, smear campaigns, threats and intimidation against journalists and media outlets and to insist on the investigation and prosecution of such offences, enabling a safe environment for journalists, while tackling the issues of media concentration, political and economic pressure and lack of transparency of media funding and ownership;

Or. en

Amendment 292

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 a. Expresses concern over China's growing footprint in multiple enlargement candidates and the economic and political dependencies resulting from its financial assistance programs and considerable investments in key sectors as energy, telecommunications and infrastructure; underlines the need to step up the EU's visibility and public engagement in candidate countries;

Or. en

Amendment 293

Thomas Waitz

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 a. Underlines that there is no place in the EU or in the countries aspiring to become Member States for inflammatory rhetoric, genocide denial or glorification of war criminals from any side; whereas coming to terms with the past is the only way to warrant genuine reconciliation, which is crucial for prosperous societies and a successful integration;

Or. en

Amendment 294

David McAllister

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 b (new)

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

22 b. Emphasises that the enlargement process holds considerable potential for convergence in several key areas, such as economy, environmental protection and security, as previous enlargement rounds has shown; welcomes the already beginning effects of convergence triggered by a European perspective; reminds though, that a continuous progress can only be secured by fulfilling the first four chapters of the EU acquis;

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