The altered enlargement policy: Challenges and concentric circles of integration

Abstract

The paper examines the implementation of the enlargement policy at the end of the second decade of the 21st century, which occurred under considerably altered circumstances and in different dynamics in comparison to the previous cycles of the ?Eastern enlargements?. Unlike those accession cycles which were conducted under different circumstances and had been regionally and strategically directed in their approach so that the entire groups of countries could simultaneously join the Union, during the last decade there was a growing focus on strictly bilateral relations of Brussels with each candidate and its individual accomplishments within the ?accession regatta?, and on more intensive and earlier conditioning. In combination with the changed international circumstances, these resulted in a different treatment of the current accession candidates. The article points that the reasons for this have been the altered political circumstances and challenges in the functioning of the Union, the different international context, as well as insufficient progress in the remaining ?unintegrated? southeastern countries. With the accession policy falling behind and along with considerations regarding the reform plans within the European Union by the model of concentric cycles of integration, it appears to the author that further accession of EU candidates will retain different dynamics comparing to the previous enlargement rounds, and potentially result in a different form of integration in the future..