German parties support initiative to “rapidly grant” EU membership candidate status to Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine

A number of German political parties, including the opposition CDU/CSU faction, have launched a motion supporting a “rapid granting” of European Union membership candidate status to the Associated Trio countries Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, German media reported on Tuesday.

In a resolution entitled Rapid Granting of EU Candidate Status to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, the group calls on the Federal Government of Germany to “support and advocate” for all three countries to be granted membership candidate status at the  EU leaders summit scheduled on June 23-24, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said. 

Gunther Krichbaum, the faction's European Policy Spokesperson, said “opening the EU door” to the three countries was “in the interest” of the Union.

Given the long accession process, the faction has called for the “creation of a new model” before the full membership of the three countries to enable them to have closer ties with the EU, including in the fields of foreign, security and defence policies.

The Georgian foreign office said in case the draft of the resolution was approved within the faction, it would be submitted to the Bundestag for discussion and voting.