Brussels/Strasbourg. The European Commission proposes changing the very logic of joining the European Union: instead of one big step — gradual, phased membership. This was explained on October 7, 2026, in Strasbourg by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, according to tagesschau. For Ukraine, this could mean faster access to certain EU benefits even before full membership.
Membership as a staircase
In Brussels, they propose imagining the path to the EU as a staircase: a candidate country climbs step by step until it reaches full membership. So-called "gradual engagement" means that a state that has already met EU standards in a certain area will be able to participate in the corresponding European mechanisms even before formal accession.
Kos called this a situation beneficial for everyone — both for current and future members. Among the examples are connection to the Single Euro Payments Area SEPA, participation in the free roaming zone, as well as EU support in building up defense, infrastructure, and digitalization. According to the Commission's assessment, such an approach would also facilitate assistance to Ukraine in reconstruction.
Will the EU not overload itself
In Brussels, it is traditionally emphasized that new members make the Union stronger: they create jobs and help with migration and security issues. At the same time, there are also warnings that the EU may not cope with a new enlargement. The Commission conducted a thorough analysis and concluded: the Union itself will also have to change its rules, not only the candidates.
A separate case — the Ukrainian agricultural sector
The key issue is money: who contributes how much to the common budget and who receives how much. This depends on the country's economic condition, the quality of infrastructure, and the weight of agriculture. Support for farmers is still the largest item in the EU budget, so the accession of such an agrarian state as Ukraine would significantly change the balance within the Union.
That is why the Commission's report on Ukraine states that financial support for its agricultural sector is planned to be limited. In addition, not all Ukrainian agricultural products will be able to be freely sold in the EU. "Ukraine's accession must not have a negative impact on EU farmers. That is why we want to help Ukraine regain access to third countries and its traditional markets," Kos explained.
"No compromises on the rule of law"
Despite all the safeguards for phased accession, co-chair of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament Terry Reintke warns: the EU must not make concessions on the rule of law in candidate countries. According to her, people in these countries want the same rules as EU citizens — protection from corruption and a better life.
What next
The Commission's proposals still have to be approved by the European Parliament and the member states. At the end of October, Brussels will publish the next reports on the candidates' progress — a kind of "report card." The path to the EU remains long.
What this means for Ukrainians in Germany
For Ukrainians living in Germany, phased integration could bring tangible practical changes: for example, cheaper transfers between Ukrainian and European banks via SEPA or free roaming during trips home. At the same time, the restrictions for the agricultural sector show that the accession conditions for Ukraine will be special — and it is worth closely following the European Commission's October reports.
This material was prepared based on a tagesschau report dated October 7, 2026. The text is an independent Ukrainian retelling, not a verbatim translation.