The debate on the institutional and political implications of the enlargement process and the global challenges of the EU marked the last day of work of the European Parliament gathered in plenary session in Strasbourg. At the centre of the Chamber, Commissioner for Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva presented the Commission’s position. “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is a clear reminder of the importance of enlargement. Now more than ever, a larger and stronger Union is a strategic imperative”. According to Zaharieva, international tensions require everyone – Europe and aspiring member states – to “be ready” once the accession process is over. The Commissioner also stressed that the European Commission is currently working on “in-depth policy reviews in view of future enlargements”, including with regard to treaty changes. “To prepare the Union for enlargement, we have to examine all options, starting with using the full potential of the current Treaties”. As a start, we need to extend the use of qualified majority voting in the Council on a number of specific issues: “Indeed, to act quickly and strategically, the number of decisions requiring unanimity need to be reduced”, the Commissioner said, stressing however the need to “take into account the sensitivity” of Member States.