The Continuation of the Enlargement Process as a Challenge for the European Union

Abstract

The process of integration in Western Europe, undertaken since World War II, has proven a success. Additional countries have taken actions to join the European Communities, and the EC/EU policy of enlargement has become one of its most important activities. The purpose of the article is to identify and briefly analyse certain aspects, mainly theoretical, related to the continuation of EU enlargement and to identify the most significant factors that affect its future course. The main thesis of the study is that the continuation of EU enlargement will look significantly different in the future than in the past and that it will be a difficult and lengthy process. The research problem is to identify the causes of the change in the EU enlargement process, generally appraised as one of its most successful policies. To achieve this aim, theoretical models explaining EU enlargement and practical factors affecting the enlargement process are identified. To better understand the current circumstances influencing the EU enlargement process, the article includes information on the current state of EU relations with potential new member states, selected data on the socio-economic development of those countries, and public attitudes in the EU and some candidate states. The formal conditions that must be met by a candidate state are presented in the first part of the study. The summary contains the most important conclusions.