Vienna, 30 August 2023 (MIA) - Austria's Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution, Karoline Edtstadler, said Wednesdasy that her country pushes for gradual integration of candidate countries in the European Union, so that even before formal membership they will be allowed to "sit at the EU table" and participate in dialogue, but without the right to vote.

In an interview with Austria's public broadcaster, Edtstadler said now is the right time for such a change in the EU enlargement process. She mentioned that she and Austrian Foreign Minister, Alexander Schallenberg, have expressed such an idea before, but now is the time to implement it.

"We live in a very challenging time, we are experiencing a war on European soil. When, if not now, is the time to reform the Union's enlargement process. It is time for big ideas and to understand that the population must be part of it," said Edtstadler. 

The goal of European integration, she stressed, remains full-fledged membership, but it is a long road full of "painful reforms".

We can't expect it to happen overnight, said the Minister, noting that gradual integration will also be a reward for the hard work that the candidate countries have to do.

Gradual integration of candidate countries, including Moldova and Ukraine, will make them feel that they are already participating in European policymaking, even though they do not yet have the right to vote, Edtstadler said. 

Asked how that might look in practice, she said that negotiations with the EU are a strictly formal process that takes place in clusters.

"When a country closes a cluster, for example in the area of science or education, it should be allowed to participate in discussions on that topic in the EU," Edtstadler noted. 

She added that in her experience, in 2020 and 2021, few EU leaders really supported enlargement, but today it was a common sense thing for most because of the increased influence of Russia and China.

Photo: MIA archive