EU Enlargement with an Insurance Policy: Welcome to the Club, House Rules Attached

On Tuesday the European Commission presented "Preparing for a wider Union", its package to get the bloc ready for new members. At its core is a safeguard: a country that seriously breaches its commitments on the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights after joining could more easily lose EU funding or have its voting rights restricted. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos called it "an insurance policy", while insisting the EU does not want two-tier membership. One report says the safeguards could apply for up to 15 years; other accounts, including the Commission's, give no such period.

The logic is understandable, and so is the experience behind it. In recent years the EU has learned how hard it is to rein in a member once it is inside. The existing tool, Article 7, has proved remarkably blunt. So this time the controls are being built in at the front door.

For new members the EU checks the rule of law with a probation period. For old ones, the accession date apparently counts as a diploma.

For Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania the message is mixed: the door is open, but with the chain on. Ukraine would also face special rules for agriculture. At the same time the Commission is again pushing to drop unanimity in areas such as sanctions and tax fraud. The Union sees itself as a community of values. When it comes to implementation, it prefers a very detailed rulebook.