EU weighs 'membership-lite' path for Western Balkan candidates

EU leaders are weighing a France–Germany plan to grant Western Balkan candidate countries partial benefits—observer status in EU institutions and limited access to the Single Market—during the long accession process to keep reforms on track and prevent disillusionment. Ukraine cautions against a two-tier system, while some member states worry about reduced influence for candidates; officials insist full membership remains the goal and a faster, merit-based enlargement is being pursued.