Inside the EU’s latest plan to keep would-be members close – POLITICO

BRUSSELS — The European Commission is drawing up plans to give EU candidate countries economic benefits before they join the bloc, as governments search for ways to speed up enlargement without lowering the bar for entry.

The proposals form part of the Commission’s push for “gradual integration” — rewarding candidates with greater access to the EU as they deliver reforms while their membership bids are still being processed, according to two officials granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

The benefits under discussion include access to some EU funding programs, preferential trade arrangements, and partial access to the single market before accession, with the exact package to be tailored to each candidate country’s progress. The aim is to keep candidate countries on track by giving them incentives to push through politically difficult reforms even if full membership remains years away.