Merz and Macron propose phased EU integration for Western Balkans at Tivat summit

A new offer in Tivat

European Union leaders gathered with their counterparts from the six Western Balkan states in Tivat, Montenegro, on Friday to inject new momentum into a stalled enlargement process. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron arrived with a joint discussion paper proposing a phased, performance-based integration model. The core idea is that candidate countries would gain incremental access to EU benefits, such as the single market, payment systems, and observer status in institutions, as they advance in negotiations, rather than waiting for full membership.

The clear message of today is and will remain: We want you! And we want this region, these states of this region, to become members of the European Union soon.

The summit itself was seen as a powerful signal. Vedran Džihić of the Austrian Institute for International Politics noted the full representation of EU leadership, including Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas, calling it a signal of extraordinary density. Holding the event in Montenegro, the frontrunner in accession talks, amplified the symbolic effect.

Gradual integration, not a blank cheque

Under the Franco-German proposal, the EU would open a path for candidates to participate in specific areas before full accession. Merz listed concrete steps such as joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the Erasmus+ student exchange programme, and mobile roaming agreements. The plan also envisions observer status at European Council and potentially European Parliament meetings, though the latter requires the Parliament's own decision.

There will be no more excuses now, but very concrete, albeit individual, processes for each of the Western Balkan states.

The proposal does not relax the fundamental accession criteria. Merz insisted that the conditions for membership remain unchanged, drawing a harder line than some eastern EU member states that have suggested exceptions could be made given the geopolitical situation.

The long wait and a call for courage

North Macedonia has been a candidate since 2004, Serbia has been negotiating since 2014, and Kosovo, the youngest candidate, has been waiting since 2022. The EU first held out a membership perspective to the region after the Kosovo War in 2000, meaning some have waited 26 years. Montenegro is the most advanced and could, according to the European Commission, conclude negotiations this year.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, while welcoming the initiative, pushed for even bolder steps. He called for a "Helmut Kohl moment," arguing that after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Kohl did not tell East Germans to complete 35 chapters before reunification. Rama wants Western Balkan leaders to have a permanent seat at the table for all discussions, even without a vote.

When will Albania join the EU? There are three things you cannot predict: God, sex, and the EU.

Serbia's balancing act

Merz explicitly stated that the offer of a phased path to membership extends to Serbia. However, he delivered a sharp message to President Aleksandar Vucic during a meeting that also included Macron, von der Leyen, and European Council President António Costa. The EU expects Belgrade to make a clear strategic choice.

A seesaw policy between Russia, China and Europe cannot exist. Serbia must decide clearly where it sees its future. And if the answer from Serbia is Europe, then the answer from Europe is Serbia.

The EU is deeply concerned about Russian and Chinese influence filling a political vacuum in the region. Rama echoed this anxiety with a metaphor about children learning from a "Russian gangster" or playing with "Chinese dolls" if left unattended.

Geopolitical urgency and next steps

The push for faster integration is framed by a broader geopolitical context. Džihić linked the initiative to Merz's recent proposal for an associated membership for Ukraine, suggesting the EU has recognized it cannot continue with "business as usual" in its enlargement policy. Commission President von der Leyen urged leaders to explain the benefits to their citizens, framing enlargement as a source of more security, prosperity, and a stronger global role for Europe.

There is a dynamic. We must now turn this dynamic into movement, and this movement into membership.

A lingering concern in Brussels is that national referendums, particularly one required in France, could ultimately derail the process. The Franco-German proposal will now be concretized, with Merz reporting that all participants reacted very positively to the plan.