Can the EU accommodate an increased political and cultural diversity after a next round of enlargement? In this contribution, Saskia Hollander (Senior Research Fellow at Clingendael) assesses the impact of EU enlargement on the EU’s capacity to uphold democracy and the rule of law and project core values within its borders.
The Eastern and Central European countries that joined the EU in the 2000s have experienced economic growth thanks to their membership. In this European policy analysis, Mariusz Próchniak and Ryszard Rapacki, professors of Economics, examine what is required of the current candidate countries to benefit from EU membership in a similar way.
For a long time, the EU has addressed but so far not prevented systematic violations of the rule of law in the member states. In this analysis, Katalin Cseres argues that EU competition law should be used more actively as part of the rule of law toolbox.
In an uncertain world, the relationship between Europe and the United States has become more important than ever. At the same time, it is in a state of change. Ahead of the US presidential election, Marianne Riddervold analyses the transatlantic link and discusses ways forward for Europe.
Agriculture will be a particularly difficult issue for the forthcoming enlargement of the EU. In this analysis professor emeritus Alan Matthews draws lessons from previous enlargements and considers possible options for the EU.
While bold decisions have brought enlargement back on the EU’s agenda, long-standing constraints and challenges remain. In this contribution, Professor Antoaneta Dimitrova sheds light on three dilemmas facing EU and candidate state leaders.
Activating its enlargement process is not optional for the European Union. In this post, Professor Veronica Anghel argues that enlargement, particularly to wartime Ukraine, is a matter of institutional survival, a major push to enact reforms the EU needs, and a strategy for the EU to respond to the growing competitiveness gap between the organisation and global economic powers.
EU membership is transformational but also highly demanding. Visnja Vukov (University of Vienna) considers how the EU can strengthen state capacity in candidate countries so that they are ready to join and flourish as members.
In the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, EU enlargement acquired a renewed impetus: the security of both aspiring and existing members. Barbara Lippert explores how this put foreign and security policy at the heart of the accession process.
The 2024 European Parliament elections saw a general shift to the political right. At the same time, the results point to both fragmentation and continuity. In this early assessment, political scientists Simon Hix (EUI), Göran von Sydow and Valentin Kreilinger (SIEPS) analyse the outcome of the elections and consider the consequences for the politics and policies of the EU.