Georgia’s dubious application for EU membership
Barely a week after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Georgia submitted its application to accede to the EU on 3 March, following Ukraine and alongside Moldova. The European Commission has been invited by the European Council to deliver its ‘Opinion’ on each of the three cases, and these are expected at the beginning of June. CEPS […]
Can the war in Ukraine revive the EU’s enlargement agenda for the Western Balkans?
For years the EU has been repeating the mantra of its enlargement policy representing ‘a strategic investment in peace, stability and economic growth on our European continent’. Yet it has singularly failed to deliver on its promises towards the Western Balkans region, with a succession of blockages and delays, many of which have more to […]
CEPS Expert Briefing: informal meeting of EU leaders
The French Presidency has convened EU leaders for an informal summit on 10 and 11 March with a significant shift in the substance of the meeting, given Russia’s war on Ukraine. On the agenda: EU enlargement, sovereignty and defence. How to revise the EU’s enlargement process, following the application for EU membership by three DCFTA […]
Considering Ukraine, why Georgia deserves EU membership
Georgia has now officially applied for EU membership. Once viewed as a front runner in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood, the country has experienced democratic backsliding over the past few years which may cast doubts on Georgia’s readiness for joining the EU. Yet given the long and winding road that Georgia needed to take to reach […]
History and identity should not blight the EU’s enlargement policy towards the Western Balkans
The EU must reject any attempt to introduce notions of history and identity into its enlargement policy. Otherwise it risks trampling on its 70 years of experience in overcoming the legacy of the past and promoting a peace project based on reconciliation and the rule of law. Yet this is precisely what is happening with […]