The three pillars of the EU’s new enlargement agenda
The 2004 ‘big bang’ expansion of the EU was “the best prepared enlargement in the history of the Union”. That was the modest opinion of Günter Verheugen, the European Commissioner who oversaw the final years of work of the fifth round of EU enlargement. Preparations started well before his tenure. Conceived at the Madrid European […]
Next Steps for EU Enlargement
The EU’s present enlargement process, once applauded as the EU’s most successful foreign policy, is not working well. With the addition of candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova the case for a serious reform of existing procedures is widely recognised. This is witnessed by the emergence of several proposals, mostly for restoring the incentive power […]
Yet another failure of EU leadership in the Western Balkans
The European Council that took place on 23-24 June will be remembered for the historic decision to endorse Ukraine and Moldova’s application for EU membership and to grant them candidate status. For the countries of the Western Balkans, whose leaders were invited to a pre-European Council conference by the French Presidency of the Council, it […]
Interpreting the Commission Opinions on the membership applications of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, and next steps for the European Council
The Commission’s three Opinions on the membership applications of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, if endorsed by the European Council as seems likely on 23-24 June, will mark a geopolitical turning point for Europe, bringing the three eastern European states into the EU’s enlargement process, albeit with a less advanced formulation for the time being for […]
The New Agenda for the EU’s Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policies
The war in Ukraine, triggering membership applications from Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia and coming on top of widespread calls for reinvigorating the stagnant accession process in the Western Balkans, has led Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Charles Michel to open up a fundamental debate on the EU’s enlargement and neighbourhood policies. Ideas include a revamping of […]