EU to Add ‘Hard’ Safeguards in New Accession Treaties Following Orbán Lesson, Commissioner Kos Says

The EU is preparing a “new generation” of accession treaties with built-in safeguards that could penalize future members if they breach democratic norms, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Marta Kos Speaking on Ukraine Innovation Days in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kyiv Post/Olena Hrazhdan) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said the EU is preparing stricter accession frameworks for future members, introducing safeguards designed to enforce compliance with the bloc’s democratic values. Speaking during a panel at Ukraine Innovation Days in Washington DC, Kos outlined what she described as a “new generation” of accession treaties that would include mechanisms to penalize member states that deviate from EU values. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Her remarks come as Brussels sighed with relief following tensions with Hungary’s former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who blocked the EU’s efforts to provide aid to Ukraine and reduce dependence on Russia, and w In response to a question from Kyiv Post, Kos said the European Commission is already considering how such safeguards could be embedded in future accession agreements. “This will be a new generation of the accession treaties and the safeguards… If the new members and everybody will stick to our rules, those safeguards will not be felt at all. But if they will go against our values, our system, our regulations, then those safeguards will bite hard,” Kos told Kyiv Post. “And we are now discussing with the member states exactly in which form we will bring this to the accession treaty,” she added. Kos indicated that the proposed mechanisms would not affect countries that adhere to EU rules but would be triggered if violations occur. Other Topics of Interest New Mass Strikes, Old Sanctions, and Space Nukes – Ukraine Latest, April 16 More defense loans, new strikes on Tuapses refinery, and updates on logistics routes around Donetsk – updates from Ukraine and beyond The comments suggest a shift in Brussels’ approach to enlargement, reflecting lessons learned from past expansions, in which enforcement tools proved limited once countries gained full membership. Kos also emphasized the need to build broader public support across the EU for further enlargement, particularly as geopolitical considerations become more prominent. “We have to discuss more with the citizens of the European Union why enlargement is important,” the press release quoted Marta Kos as saying. She pointed to security as a key argument that has gained traction in recent years, particularly in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “Because we are negotiating with a country which is at war [Ukraine], security issue is [high priority]… We have to take care of our own security and Ukraine will help us in this,” she said, replying to Kyiv Post. Olena Hrazhdan is the Business Reporter at Kyiv Post, covering Ukraine’s markets, business, and economic policy. While she reports broadly on economic issues, her core focus is banking, finance, monetary and fiscal policy. Olena previously wrote for leading Ukrainian business media and became a Fellow of the International Monetary Fund’s Journalism Fellowship in 2024.