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EU Integration and Enlargement

Discover Carnegie Europe’s work on the EU’s enlargement process.

commentary
All Is Not Well With EU Enlargement to the Western Balkans

Serbia and North Macedonia are exploring alternatives to EU membership that would bring economic benefits and relieve them of accession-related demands. But their turn away from EU integration would disadvantage both the union and the Western Balkans.

· October 24, 2024
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The EU and the South Caucasus: Geoeconomics at Play

Security concerns are reshaping the economic and foreign policy trajectories of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. As these nations navigate complex choices about their future paths, the EU should recognize the geostrategic importance of the South Caucasus and strengthen its ties with the region.

  • Tinatin Akhvlediani
· October 2, 2024
Don’t Drop the Ball on Kosovo

The leaders of Kosovo and Serbia have learned how to play the West. To restore credibility, the EU and the United States should draw clear red lines and respond firmly when these are crossed.

· September 10, 2024
Judy Asks: Will Enlargement Spur EU Reform?

To prepare for a larger union, the EU needs institutional reform. But enlargement and deeper integration have always gone hand in hand and should not be seen as mutually exclusive.

· June 27, 2024
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Can EU Enlargement Work?

The EU’s enlargement momentum, fueled by Russia’s war against Ukraine, is wearing off. To make political conditionality work, the union must prioritize securing buy-in from candidate countries’ elites and civil society.

· June 20, 2024
De-Europeanization in the EU’s Neighborhood

Being pro-EU does not win politicians many votes in the Western Balkans and the Caucasus. There, Viktor Orbán’s version of an illiberal Europe appears to be the union’s top-rated political export.

· June 6, 2024
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Beyond the Copenhagen Criteria: Rethinking the Political Conditions of EU Accession

As the EU accelerates the process of adding new member states, it also needs to rethink the relationship between enlargement and democracy. The union should develop a “Copenhagen plus” approach to encourage more comprehensive democratic reforms in candidate countries.

· June 5, 2024
Georgia’s Youth Protests Call for an EU Policy Rethink

The EU’s failure to leverage strict conditionality emboldened Georgia’s government to pursue regressive policies. Ongoing protests should prompt Brussels to empower Georgian grassroots as catalysts for democratic change.

  • Nona Mikhelidze
· May 14, 2024
Polarization Threatens to Derail Bosnia’s EU Ambitions

The opening of EU accession talks marks an important milestone for Bosnia, where ethnic tensions run high. But progress on the EU track is no remedy for the chronic crisis besetting the country’s politics.

· April 30, 2024
Judy Asks: Will Macron’s Vision for European Defense Gain Traction?

Amid Russia’s aggression and uncertainty around U.S. leadership, Macron is right to call for Europe’s self-reliance in defense. To achieve it, France needs to lead by example and get all allies on board.

· April 25, 2024
The U.S. Aid Package to Ukraine Is a Short-Term Fix

The release of U.S. aid to Ukraine is one of many steps necessary to contain Russian aggression. Western leaders must remind publics what is at stake and think ahead to avoid delays at every turn.

· April 23, 2024
research
Charting the Radical Right’s Influence on EU Foreign Policy

Despite embracing democracy, radical-right parties pose a significant challenge to the EU’s fundamental values. European leaders and institutions must address this challenge to safeguard democracy in the EU and ensure a more effective foreign policy.

· April 18, 2024