Regional Approach of the European Union in a Potential New Cycle of Enlargement -- a Case Study of the Western Balkans
Date Issued
2023
Author(s)
GJurovski, Marjan
Arnaudov, Mitko
Abstract
The political catchphrase Western Balkans has become synonymous for the states
and entities in this region which already are in the process of joining the European
Union. After Croatia’s membership to the European Union, two approaches have become
almost certain: that the European Union will not expand “horizontally” in the medium
term and that it is difficult to expect the EU membership of any individual country from
the Western Balkans separately from the others, respectively, the assumption of the potential
integration of the entire region altogether have become almost universally accepted thesis
within political and academic society. In this paper, the key research question is does, in
the case of the Western Balkans, the European Union will use the regional approach of
integration, i.e., does the entire region will become part of the Union altogether, in the
classical sense of understanding full membership in the EU, according to the model of
the admission of the countries of Central Europe, i.e., the so-called Visegrad group?
From a theoretical point, this paper will provide a contribution to actualising the
importance of regionalisation and regional integration in the achievement of foreign
policy goals of small and microstates, such as the so-called “six” in the Western Balkans.
and entities in this region which already are in the process of joining the European
Union. After Croatia’s membership to the European Union, two approaches have become
almost certain: that the European Union will not expand “horizontally” in the medium
term and that it is difficult to expect the EU membership of any individual country from
the Western Balkans separately from the others, respectively, the assumption of the potential
integration of the entire region altogether have become almost universally accepted thesis
within political and academic society. In this paper, the key research question is does, in
the case of the Western Balkans, the European Union will use the regional approach of
integration, i.e., does the entire region will become part of the Union altogether, in the
classical sense of understanding full membership in the EU, according to the model of
the admission of the countries of Central Europe, i.e., the so-called Visegrad group?
From a theoretical point, this paper will provide a contribution to actualising the
importance of regionalisation and regional integration in the achievement of foreign
policy goals of small and microstates, such as the so-called “six” in the Western Balkans.
Subjects
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