Post Cold War Enlargements Flashcards
Countries that have joined after the cold war
Austria, Sweden, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia.
Eligibility to join the EU
Article O of the Treaty on the European Union:
‘Any European State with a system of government founded on the principle of democracy may apply to join the union’
Article 49: The Copenhagen Criteria, 1993
- Stability of democratic institutions
- Guarantees of a rule of law, respect for human rights, protection of minorities
- Must have a functioning market economy
- Ability to assume obligations of membership
What does enlargement mean for the EU?
New external borders and neighbors
Change in institutional structure, EP, Council, ECJ
Change in policy agenda - reform existing policies add new ones.
Positive implications of past enlargements:
Consolidated democracy
Protected peace and enhanced prosperity
Boosted EU prestige and bargaining position
Expanded EU competence and forced reform
Negative implications of past enlargements:
Increased heterogeneity
Budgetary implications
Country-specific issues
Implementation problems
Fourth enlargement on the EU 1995
Austria, Finland, and Sweden only
Applicants all members of EFTA
Not Norway, 2nd referendum rejected by the people
Late 1980s: Negotiations on a European Economic Area with the EC
Benefit from a single market without joining a community
Time EEA came into force 1994, it had largely lost relevance
How did the 4th enlargement effect the EU
Integrates 3 more wealthy, stable and democratic countries
Forced amendments to European Institutions
EP now 626 members
Council votes 76 to 86
Commissioners 17 to 20
ECJ judges 13 to 15
1995: Balance Sheet
All 3 new members well adjusted to the requirements of EU membership
All prosperous: no problems for budget
Acquis already in place via EEA negotiations
Well established democratic political systems
Fifth enlargement of the EU. (2004)
Why was this different to previous enlargements?
Scale - Macro enlargement of 10 states
Composition - Micro states like Malta
Nature - Predominately post-communist states
economic development: substantially poorer, often less industrialized
EU perspectives on CEEC countries:
Moral obligation to assist
Border security and immigration pressure
Potential insecurity ‘spillover’
Consolidate democracy
Economic opportunities
How was 2004 prepared for?
EU:
Institutional reform: ceilings on size of EP and commission
Monitoring of applicant and EU progress: Agenda 2000
Assistance programmes for CEECs: Phare
Europe agreements: Conditionality
Transition periods: Free movement
CEECs:
Acceptance and progressive implementation of entire Aquis Communautaire
Structural reform of economies
Protection of minority and human rights
Negotiate existing border practices
Adoption of the EU norms of democracy
2004: A Balance Sheet
Democracy and stability by convergence
Improved CEEC treatment of minorities (Russian minorities in Latvia and Estonia)
Fulfil EU moral and treaty obligations
BUT:
Importing insecurity
New discriminatory frontiers
Budget increases
Disagreement - revising existing redistributions
Limit to CEEC willingness to fall into line (Poland and EU constitution)
The Sixth and Seventh enlargement. 2007; 2013
‘South Eastern Enlargement’
External borders now reach the Black Sea
Weak administrative capabilities
Policy problems considerable: Competition, state aids, judicial reform, corruption, crime, management of EU funds.
Croatia, first of the SAP countries.
2007 and 2013, a balance sheet
Pay greater attention to the pace of reforms
Use of benchmarks for negotiations
Greater use of conditionality
Postponement clauses likely in the future
Role of the commission now strengthened (agenda setting and monitoring)
Now physically in more challenging geography
After 2013
‘Enlargement Fatigue’ - Achieving membership becomes more and more difficult
Need to reduce socio economic divergence
How best to manage political diversity
Political and contingent nature of decision making on future enlargement
Lingering journey of neither total exclusion nor rapid integration
