Are there limits to EU enlargement?

Enlargement has been at the heart of the EU’s growth policy throughout the development of the European integration project and has proven to be a powerful incentive for societal and political transformation in the countries concerned

The EU enlargement agenda is currently under way with several states undergoing a process of monitoring and negotiations until they form part of the European integration project. The EU operates comprehensive approval procedures that establish whether a new member state can be admitted in the Union.

Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, also known as the Treaty of Maastricht, states that any European state respecting the principles of liberty, democracy, human rights, the fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law may apply to the Council to join the EU. Before taking a decision, the Council must consult the European Commission and ask the European Parliament for a favourable opinion adopted by an absolute majority of its members.

The Council then takes its decision unanimously. By fulfilling these principles, this would be the first step for a country to meet the key criteria for accession, referred to as ‘Copenhagen criteria’. These criteria were laid down at the European Council meeting in Copenhagen in 1993 and added to at the European Council meeting in Madrid in 1995. Besides these criteria, countries wishing to join need to have a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU, along with the ability to adhere to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Serbia, Montenegro, Iceland and Turkey are all candidate countries. The last three have just started the process of negotiating their membership in the EU, a process which may take some years until it is completed. The other two countries are waiting to start negotiating EU membership, with Serbia being tipped to start negotiations in the near future while accession negotiations with FYROM did not commence due to the name dispute with Greece. Then there are Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo which are potential candidates that were promised the prospect of joining the EU when they are ready. Croatia is in the final stages of becoming the 28th member state next year, following ratification by all the member states.

A few days ago, the Commission has issued the so-called ‘Enlargement Package’, which includes the annual Enlargement Strategy paper which sets out the way forward for the coming year and takes stock of the progress made over the last 12 months by each candidate country and potential candidates. In addition to this strategy paper, the package contains the Progress Reports in which there is the assessment of what each candidate and potential candidate countries have achieved over the last year.

In a nutshell, the 2012 Strategy and Progress Reports state that by July of next year Croatia is on track to fulfil all the conditions for EU membership. For the fourth time, the Commission is recommending to open accession negotiations with the FYROM. Moreover, the Commission is recommending to grant Albania EU candidate status, subject to completion of key reform steps. With regards to Kosovo, the

The EU has became a stronger global player

Commission is proposing the negotiation of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement once it has made progress in fulfilling a number of short-term priorities. The Commission has also assessed the progress towards EU accession made elsewhere in the Western Balkans (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia), Turkey and Iceland over the past year. Today, the Core Group meeting, Meusac’s core consultation body, will be discussing the Commission Communication on the Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 20122013.

Enlargement has increased the EU’s weight in the world and the EU has became a stronger global player. At the same time, the EU is cautious about assuming any new commitments in order to avoid an overstretched enlargement agenda. The Commission has drawn some lessons to further improve the preparation of future enlargements. Are there limits to EU enlargement? The question of the ultimate borders of the EU has been raised in recent years several times.

The term ‘European’ combines geographical, historical and cultural elements which all contribute to European identity. The shared experience of ideas, values and historical interaction cannot be condensed into a simple timeless formula, and it is subject to review by each succeeding generation. So, despite the fact that legal basis of the enlargement policy is open to ‘any European State’ which respects the principles set out in the treaty, this does not mean that all European countries must apply or that the EU must accept all applications. The key principle of EU accession is that each country advances towards membership depending on its own merits in the context of the EU’s values and principles.

The EU’s capacity of absorption needs also to take into consideration that its institutions and decisionmaking processes remain effective; it can continue to develop and implement common policies in all areas; and finally that the EU must be able to continue to finance its policies in a sustainable manner.

Next year it will be an EU made up of 28 member states. At present, it seems unlikely that a large group of countries will in future accede simultaneously. The candidates and potential candidates vary considerably in terms of their political and economic development and administrative capacity. Further accessions are likely to occur in the medium to long term, but it is still early to predict when enlargement will continue to take place.