Albania, Montenegro and two other countries are fast-tracking their path to EU membership

According to them, the roadmaps are intended to accelerate the decades-long enlargement process and set out more precisely the reforms that each of the four countries would need to implement, as well as indicative deadlines for completing the negotiating chapters, or clusters.

The officials said the plans would serve as a kind of guarantee that the countries will be admitted to the EU if they implement the key reforms, with indicative deadlines for concluding the negotiations.

Launching the process will require the approval of the current EU member states.

A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed that the roadmaps would represent a “path toward completing the accession negotiations” and would include priorities, deadlines, and milestones intended to help the most advanced candidate countries implement the necessary reforms.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this month pledged targeted support for candidate countries “that have made the most progress.”

The proposal is part of a broader review of the EU’s policy toward countries seeking to join the bloc, aimed at allowing candidates to gradually integrate into certain areas of the EU even before formal membership.

The review proposal will be presented to the EU’s top officials on October 6.

Von der Leyen and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos will also propose changes to the EU’s internal functioning, including possible safeguard mechanisms and transitional periods for new member states.

EU leaders will discuss enlargement and internal reforms at a summit in Brussels on October 15 and 16, while the European Commission is expected to ask them for political support to accelerate the process.

Earlier this month, Kos told Politico that she hoped the proposed changes and discussions with EU leaders would lead to an “autumn of enlargement,” following years of slower progress.