Western Balkan countries should still become EU members, but via a new, step-by-step method, France has said.
The "gradual association" idea was the basis for a "reformed approach to the [EU] accession process", set out in an informal, six-page paper circulated to EU diplomats by France on Friday (15 November) and seen by EUobserver.
EU enlargement currently works by opening accession negotiations with candidate countries, which cover 35 separate areas or "chapters" of European l...
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