The European Commission has proposed a 15-year probation period for new EU members during which their voting rights or access to EU funds could be suspended if they seriously violate democratic standards.

The proposal is partly intended to prevent a repeat of disputes involving Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose government used its EU veto power to block decisions supported by other member states. 

The safeguards would provide quicker options than the EU’s existing Article 7 procedure, which can suspend voting rights but has never been fully used against a member state. 

The plan comes as the EU considers expanding to countries including Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine, with Montenegro currently the most advanced candidate, The Guardian has reported.

The proposal still requires approval from the EU’s 27 existing members, while officials say the safeguards would be temporary and designed to avoid creating permanent “first- and second-class” membership.