EU weighs enlargement reforms amid veto and cost concerns

The European Commission is set to present proposals on Tuesday for how the European Union would operate with additional members, as Ukraine and other countries advance their bids to join.

The plans seek to address concerns about the financial cost of enlargement and whether a bigger bloc would be able to make decisions effectively.

The role of national vetoes is a central concern in that debate, with expansion raising questions about how the EU can accommodate more members without making agreement harder to reach.

Ukraine’s membership push, alongside those of other prospective entrants, has added urgency to discussions over the union’s readiness to expand.

The proposals will focus on preparing the EU’s internal workings for possible enlargement, rather than settling when new countries might be admitted.