Suchergebnisse

The article gives a critical assessment of the emergence, development and consolidation of the administrative capacity criteria for entering the European Union (EU). The administrative capacity criteria emerged for the first time during the 5th European Enlargement (2004-07) under soft political conditionality, showing a limited impact. The criteria gained importance during the accession process of Croatia, reflecting some changes in EU enlargement policy in order to address the specificities of the Western Balkan countries. The article concludes that these criteria today have become a central part in the new EU enlargement strategy, posing strict conditions to be fulfilled by all candidate countries if they want to proceed in their path towards the EU. It will be sustained that this reorientation represents a major change in the nature of EU enlargement policy.

"Serbia and the European Union" published on by Oxford University Press.

The European Commission will unveil its new EU Enlargement Strategy on February 6th, 2018. Since relations with Turkey have deteriorated markedly, only the Western Balkan states remain candidates for EU membership. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, has stated the European Commission's intention to ensure that the Western Balkan countries are on an "irreversible" track to membership in the Union before the end of its mandate in 2019. Unless the new Enlargement Strategy offers a realistic plan to tackle the lack of economic growth and social progress in the region, it will be another futile institutional exercise because democracy, the rule of law and other basic distinctions of "Europeanness" cannot make lasting inroads into the enduring poverty in the Western Balkans.

The European Commission will unveil its new EU Enlargement Strategy on February 6th, 2018. Since relations with Turkey have deteriorated markedly, only the Western Balkan states remain candidates for EU membership. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, has stated the European Commission's intention to ensure that the Western Balkan countries are on an "irreversible" track to membership in the Union before the end of its mandate in 2019. Unless the new Enlargement Strategy offers a realistic plan to tackle the lack of economic growth and social progress in the region, it will be another futile institutional exercise because democracy, the rule of law and other basic distinctions of "Europeanness" cannot make lasting inroads into the enduring poverty in the Western Balkans. (author's abstract)