THE POSITIONS OF THE EU MEMBER STATES ON THE EU ENLARGEMENT AND THE NEW METHODOLOGY OF ENLARGEMENT POLICY

Andrea Matijević

Abstract

The main focus of this paper is to show that the previously defined positions of EU Member states on the consequences of potential EU enlargement to the Western Balkans and changes in the methodology of enlargement policy, proposed in November 2019 and adopted in February 2020, are causally related. In addition, the paper tries to show the character of this causal connection. For this purpose, the paper initially starts from the definition of theoretical concepts – the concept of enlargement policy, the theoretical implications of enlargement policy on EU engagement in the previous period, with reference to the methodology of enlargement policy before its latest changes. The second part is dedicated to the analysis of the positions of Member states on enlargement after the accession of the Republic of Croatia in 2013, as well as to the determination of the importance Member states’ positions for EU enlargement in general. These parts of the paper have shown that the evolving nature of enlargement policy had given the Member states greater significance which they consequently had used to create even more complicated rules of enlargement policy. Also, these parts of the paper have shown that we can not examine the EU position towards further enlargement in monolithic terms, and that every country has its specific views about this subject, which is shaped by specific national interests. The third part reviews the new methodology of enlargement policy аnd gives a framework conclusion about the potential implications that the application of this methodology could have in the future. This part of the paper also tries to summarize the impact of the positions of the Member states have had on the new methodology. It stresses that we have to bear in mind that the position of the country which passed the notion for the new methodology (France) is currently for the deepening of the European integration rather than the enlargement itself, and that this fact most notably affects the implications of the new enlargement methodology. The concluding remarks are dedicated to the argumentation of the significance of this issue for the expectations of the Western Balkan countries and the perspectives of their membership in EU. In these remarks author emphasizes that this new methodology of EU enlargement perhaps announces the introduction of some form of incomplete membership, and that this would not be a constructive solution neither for EU nor for the candidate states.

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