ENLARGEMENT

Enlargement in the EU: Enlargement Fatigue

Enlargement in the EU: Enlargement Fatigue

Introduction

EU rules allow any European nation to apply for membership if it can meet certain standards such as a market economy, a democratic political system, observance of human rights, and adherence to the rule of law. Turkey and Croatia began membership negotiations in 2005, and Macedonia was officially deemed a candidate the same year. Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Serbia are among other possible prospects for eventual membership.

The European Union has reassured Western Balkan countries queuing for membership that neither the eurozone crisis nor enlargement fatigue' would halt their eventual integration (Baldwin 2008, p. 32). It failed, however, to make any new commitments or set any timelines for accession. Instead, at a high-level meeting that took place on 2 June in Sarajevo, the EU limited itself to reiterating its ten-year pledge of support for the European perspective for all Western Balkan countries once all the established criteria and conditions are met. At the Zagreb summit, in 2000, the EU for the first time committed itself to admit Western Balkan countries as its fully-fledged members (Berglund 2009, p. 32).

Due to the region's internal disagreements, the conference was held under the so-called Gymnich format. Initially it was planed as a summit, bringing together heads of states. However, due to Serbia's refusal to take part in the event alongside Kosovo leaders representing its former province as an independent country, the Spanish EU Presidency had to downgrade the Sarajevo summit, as it was initially dubbed, to an informal high-level meeting.

Under the Gymnich format, the participants were not officially representing their countries. In addition, because of the revised format, instead of a joint declaration, a Presidency statement was issued following the meeting, which brought together EU and Western Balkan foreign ministers as well as representatives from the US, Russia and Turkey (Cremona 1998, p. 23). The EU was represented by Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, High Representative Catherine Ashton and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos. Both Fule and Moratinos were trying to reassure the Western Balkan countries that the EU's door is wide open for them despite the current economic problems. They rejected the assessment that the region has not made much progress over last decade towards accession.

Discussion

But it is uncertain when all this might come to pass. Many commentators see symptoms of expansion fatigue in the EU, particularly in the wake of its massive enlargement in 2004, when it added ten new members. Many European leaders believe the EU needs first to streamline itself. The addition of Romania and Bulgaria pushed the number of official languages to more than 30 and added two new seats to the European Commission, along with 54 to the European Parliament. Meanwhile, conflicting interests of the EU's member states pose an obstacle to changes in the organization's structure as well as to continued expansion.

Some longtime, well-off members are reluctant to accept a lessening of their influence, as well as the greater financial burdens, that would follow ...