The European Union has been a constant and key player in global politics over the last few years. It is a unique political and economic union of 27 member states, collectively striving for peace, stability, and prosperity within its borders. The EU started as an economic cooperation between its 6 founding members, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, and the Netherlands. These countries signed the Treaty of Paris (1951), establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).

Since then, through a series of expansions, the EU has increased in size and influence, becoming a key player in international politics. Each expansion has added a new dimension to the EU’s political arsenal, promoting its core values as defined in the Treaty of Lisbon. The accession of new members has significantly enhanced the Union’s influence over the continent, playing a critical role in fostering stability, democracy, and economic growth within Europe.

The first enlargement occurred in 1973, sixteen years after the Treaty of Rome. Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom joined the six founding members of what was then the European Economic Community (EEC)—this addition aimed to promote integration further and strengthen the common market. Between 1981 and 1986, the ‘Southern’ enlargement saw the accession of Greece, followed by Spain and Portugal. This expansion extended the EU’s reach to the Mediterranean and secured its southern borders.

Following the end of the Cold War, the newly established European Union, formalized by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992, welcomed three new members— The period between 2004 and 2007 marked the largest expansion of the Union, with twelve new member states acceding. Most were former communist states from Eastern and Central Europe, signifying a significant step in overcoming the divides created by the Cold War. The new member states included Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Lastly, in  2013 Croatia joined the EU, underscoring the Union’s ongoing commitment to promoting stability and integration in Europe.

Having outlined the multiple expansions over the last century, one might think that joining the EU is a simple task. However, if we look closely at the accession criteria, we see that perspective candidates must complete a series of tasks, from economic reforms to political changes. A country can join when – and only when – it has proven that it can rise to the responsibilities of a full member, namely complying with all EU laws and regulations, having the approval of all EU states and institutions, as well as approval from their citizens, through democratic procedures (referendums). More specifically, according to the Treaty of the European Union, any European country is eligible to apply, so long as it respects and promotes the EU’s democratic values.

The key criteria, also known as the “Copenhagen Criteria” state that all potential members need – first and foremost- to have a stable, democratic governmental institution that guarantees the rule of law and human rights, a functional economy, able to cope with competition in the EU and the ability to operate successfully as a member-state, through adherence to the political, economic, and monetary aims of the Union.

If all this seems simple enough, one must remember that the EU needs to have a consensus from all current member-states to admit new members. Adhering to the key criteria is only the first step in a long and winding road towards EU – membership. After the prospective member has applied for membership, with a formal application to the European Council, the latter needs to unanimously grant the country a “membership status”, after a recommendation from the European Commission. A consensus from the Council is no easy feat, as it is composed of all the heads of state of each member. It is one of the main decision-making bodies of the EU and works alongside the European Parliament in adopting legislation and coordinating EU policies.

Accordingly, the European Commission is the main executive body of the Union, as well as the “guardian” of the EU treaties. It is responsible for proposing new legislation, managing daily tasks, and ensuring the uniform application of EU laws by all member states. These two bodies provide the balance between the supranational and intergovernmental facets of the EU, facilitating cooperation and integration across Europe.

Having been granted membership status, the aspiring member-state moves to the negotiation stage. The Council, again in consensus, adopts a “rulebook” outlining the main points to be discussed in the negotiations. The Commission (representing the Union as a whole) moves to detailed negotiations with the applicant country, covering 35 policy chapters of the EU acquis. Should these negotiations be successful, the applicant country moves to a period of “screening”, where the Commission monitors its progress in complying with the EU body of law and regulations and reports back to the Council. The completion of this stage happens with a unanimous decision by the Council and the Commission. If all chapters are closed, the last step follows the drafting of an accession treaty, which must be ratified by the candidate country and all existing member states.

The above process emphasizes the importance of consensus throughout different stages of the accession process. In addition to that, the European Parliament, (composed of 705, directly elected, representatives with a 5-year term), must also consent, through a majority vote. This further promotes the democratic character but also prolongs the procedure.

As of now, there are 9 countries formally recognized as candidates by the EU. These include Moldova, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine, and Türkiye, however, negotiations with the latter have been frozen since 2018. Kosovo is a country still awaiting approval, as it is not recognized by all member-states.

The Russian-Ukrainian war has caused a fast-track process to be implemented in the case of Ukraine, urging for a faster accession process. Whether that is possible remains to be seen. Some of these countries, like North Macedonia and Türkiye, have been candidates for many years, without significant progress being made, either due to a lack of consensus or concerns about eligibility.

It becomes clear that, while on paper the road to securing EU membership might seem straightforward, it is a multidimensional and complicated process, involving multiple bodies and legislations. What makes the EU so sough-after is also what makes accession to it so difficult. The need for consensus by all members makes it nearly impossible for a new country to accede since there will always be contradicting national interests and demands. Additionally, the already-existing ties and power dynamics with other key players further complicate accession. Not everyone views European expansion as a good thing. It is understandable that, for other powers like Russia, who share borders with many prospective EU members, further integration can seem like a vital threat to national security.

In a world full of contradicting interests, power plays, and political stand-offs, it is almost impossible for everyone to be satisfied. What is a peaceful expansion for some will be a threat to someone else. The metaphorical borders of the modern world have been set for quite some time and it will be difficult to move them.

Author: Έλλη Ματθαιάδη

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