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1. A battle against time – and against Putin’s Russia

Author:
Erwan Fouéré
Publication Date:
02-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
With Putin’s war against Ukraine about to enter its third year, the EU’s enlargement policy remains at the top of its foreign policy priorities, with the focus being on both Ukraine and Moldova. This is following the European Council’s decision to open accession negotiations with both countries. But where does this leave the countries of the Western Balkans and their very long journey towards the EU which began over 20 years ago? Will these countries’ hopes for much needed political momentum in their accession prospects be fulfilled during 2024, despite the repeated delays and the EU’s failure to respect its commitments to the region over the past few years? With elections taking place across Europe offering fertile ground for Russia to deploy its arsenal of disinformation tactics, time is not on the EU’s side. To counter Russian attempts to influence developments in the region, as well as to reverse the dangerous trend of backsliding in democratic and rule of law reforms, the EU will need to adopt a more robust, consistent and determined approach towards the Western Balkans. Without any further delay, it needs to set out a much needed geopolitical and security direction for its enlargement policies in the Western Balkans.
Topic:
Security, European Union, Democracy, Geopolitics, Rule of Law, Regional Integration, and Russia-Ukraine War
Political Geography:
Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, and Balkans

2. A Template for Staged Accession to the EU

Author:
Michael Emerson, Dušica Lazarević, Steven Blockmans, and Strahinja Subotić
Publication Date:
10-2021
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
An idea is gaining ground that a system of accession to the EU in stages is now needed to revive and sustain the incentives for the states of the Western Balkans to continue their European integration journey and overcome an apparent impasse over accession prospects. At the same time there is the need to ease the most serious concerns that existing EU Member States have over the prospect of further enlargement. If there can be a broad intuitive appeal for the idea of staged accession, then what naturally follows is the need for a detailed explanation on how this would work in practice, which this paper explores for each of the EU institutions. The picture that emerges is that the EU’s institutions could well lend themselves to the idea of staged membership, with various examples or precedents to be noted, also connecting with the related idea of ‘differentiated’ integration. A successful development and practical application along these lines would do much to restore positive momentum to the European project itself, currently threatened by a damaged reputation, as well as numerous internal and external threats. The paper sets out a substantial institutional, technical and legal basis for a breakthrough out of the current impasse. It remains for political leaders in both the EU and the Western Balkans to signal their interest in such ideas, and thus launch debate at the strategic level, so that the institutions can work towards defining a formal proposal. The implementation of the system of staged accession would have to be supplemented by a robust EU policy geared towards the resolution of bilateral disputes and issues of statehood in the region.
Topic:
European Union, Regional Integration, and Regional Politics
Political Geography:
Europe and Balkans

3. History and identity should not blight the EU’s enlargement policy towards the Western Balkans

Author:
Erwan Fouéré
Publication Date:
05-2021
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
The EU must reject any attempt to introduce notions of history and identity into its enlargement policy. Otherwise it risks trampling on its 70 years of experience in overcoming the legacy of the past and promoting a peace project based on reconciliation and the rule of law. Yet this is precisely what is happening with Bulgaria’s veto against the opening of EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia. In March of last year the European Council gave the green light for the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. A date for the first intergovernmental conference to formally launch the negotiations with both countries remains – unfortunately, out of sight.
Topic:
History, European Union, Rule of Law, Regional Integration, Identity, and Regional Politics
Political Geography:
Europe, Bulgaria, Balkans, Albania, and North Macedonia

4. Balkan and Eastern European Comparisons: Building a New Momentum for the European integration of the Balkan and Eastern European associated states

Author:
Michael Emerson and Steven Blockmans
Publication Date:
02-2021
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
CEPS first published in 2018 a comparison of how the Balkan and Eastern European associated states fared in their progressive alignment on EU laws and norms. This attracted considerable attention, notably because the detailed research showed that the two groups of states were becoming increasingly comparable in their alignment on the EU acquis. A more recent suggestion that this work should be updated and deepened for its policy implications has led to this study. Andrius Kubilius MEP, former Prime Minister of Lithuania, in particular encouraged CEPS to do this, and the authors thank him for his stimulus and support. Considerable interest is now being expressed in this study advocating a new momentum for the European integration of both Balkan and East European associated states. Both the enlargement and neighbourhood policies are at best stagnating. The perceived incentives for reforms in line with European norms and values are too weak or uncertain. The study proposes enhancing the ‘more for more’ principle with quantification and benchmarking of ratings for all chapters of the relationships with the EU. A major proposed innovation is that in addition to ongoing sectoral and functional integration, the EU should officer partial and progressive institutional integration, conditional on performance in relation to the ratings, as a more constructive approach than the present ‘all or nothing’ method of accession.
Topic:
Law, European Union, Regional Integration, and Norms
Political Geography:
Europe, Eastern Europe, and Balkans

5. Tailor-made laws in the Western Balkans

Author:
Gjergji Vurmo
Publication Date:
05-2020
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
This CEPS Policy Insight takes a lively rhetorical approach to showing how state capture in the Western Balkans has been ignored since the launch of the region’s EU accession process, despite the many examples highlighted by civil society and independent media. It argues that while the EU first acknowledged the clear signs of state capture in an official document in 2016, Western Balkan political elites had already built powerful networks of corrupt interests around them. Not only that, they had already reached the highest point of state capture – tailor-made laws.
Topic:
Corruption, Law, European Union, and State Capture
Political Geography:
Europe and Balkans

6. The EU’s re-engagement with the Western Balkans

Author:
Erwan Fouéré
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
2018 was dominated by deep divisions among the EU member states despite the great expectations set by the European Commission’s February 2018 strategy paper. A major effort will now be required to restore credibility to the EU’s enlargement agenda and ensure a genuine re-engagement with the Western Balkans. It will be up to the new Commission to regain a leadership role and give the integration of the region into the EU the priority it deserves.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, European Union, Regional Integration, European Commission, Regional Politics, and Strategic Engagement
Political Geography:
Europe and Balkans

7. Conflicting objectives of EU conditionality uncovered

Author:
Simonida Kacarska
Publication Date:
05-2019
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
This policy paper examines the conflicting objectives of EU conditionality in relation to Roma in the aftermath of introducing visa-free travel for the Western Balkans, studying the case of North Macedonia. Since the eastern enlargement, EU conditionality on Roma has gradually advanced in terms of both the acceding countries and EU member states. At the same time, the pressures to curb migration in the EU have inadvertently affected the position of Roma. In acceding countries from the Western Balkans, the tension between these two trends has been clearly illustrated with the EU and national responses to the rise of the number of asylum seekers in the EU from this region. Looking at the case of North Macedonia, the paper shows how national authorities, in response to EU member state requests, have instituted practices at the national level that have led to a violation of the rights of the Roma community, by limiting their freedom to exit the country.
Topic:
Migration, Minorities, European Union, and Roma
Political Geography:
Europe, Balkans, and North Macedonia

8. Political and Economic Governance in the Balkans and Eastern Europe Compared

Author:
Michael Emerson and Gergana Noutcheva
Publication Date:
07-2018
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
The not-yet EU member states of the Balkans and three states of Eastern Europe – Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine – have much in common: geographic proximity to the EU, political priority to become members of the EU, and similar struggles to improve their political and economic governance in line with EU standards and values. The EU’s main differentiation between the two groups is over the ‘membership perspective’, which has been offered to the Balkans but not to the East Europeans. Beyond this formal political stance, however, in practice the EU been extending virtually the same comprehensive array of economic and political instruments to both groups by signing Association Agreements with the three Eastern European states. This paper breaks new ground by comparing the record of both groups in terms of the quality of their political and economic governance. Using original material and existing sources, it finds that the two groups are comparable at two levels; it looks at both the frontrunners and laggards in each group. Most striking is that the East European frontrunner, Georgia, ranks even slightly ahead of the Balkan frontrunners. This leads into a case for reconsidering the EU’s present political doctrines over both its enlargement and neighbourhood policies, which are manifestly obsolescent. The paper concludes with three options for how the EU might adapt to these realities and make consequential policy changes.
Topic:
Economics, Politics, Governance, and Regional Politics
Political Geography:
Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, Eastern Europe, Balkans, and Georgia

9. Maintaining momentum in enlargement

Author:
Erwan Fouéré
Publication Date:
04-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
If it wants to convince reluctant member states of the continued benefits of enlargement, the EU needs to offer greater clarity and ensure candidate countries fulfil their commitments. The European Commission presented its latest communication on the EU’s enlargement policy on 17 April, together with the country reports assessing each candidate country’s record in the reforms required for EU accession. Three broad messages emerge.
Topic:
European Union, Regional Integration, European Commission, and Regional Politics
Political Geography:
Europe, Turkey, Balkans, Macedonia, and Albania

10. The Strategic Potential of the Emerging Wider European Economic Area

Author:
Michael Emerson
Publication Date:
02-2018
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Abstract:
Critical, independent evaluations of the current European Neighbourhood Policy have not been dissipated by a recent review of the policy. At the same time, however a new reality has emerged, which the author of this paper suggests might be called the Wider European Economic Area (WEEA). This area covers the EU, EEA/EFTA states, the Balkans, and the East European states that now have Association Agreements (and DCFTAs) with the EU. This comprehensive map of all of Europe, with the exception of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union, already has a growing and impressive array of common economic instruments at its disposal. A few South Mediterranean states also participate in certain areas. This CEPS Policy Insights paper argues that this seemingly endogenous process deserves to be advanced more explicitly by the EU in a WEEA initiative, which could be launched by a ‘green paper’ from the EU institutions and supported by soft institutionalisation with a policy forum. Further possible extensions of the process are also discussed, notably the conditions under which there might be cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union, and linkages to the Chinese-sponsored new Silk Road. A WEEA initiative could well complement current thinking about giving renewed impetus to the EU’s own integration, including ideas under the broad heading of a multi-speed Europe.
Topic:
Treaties and Agreements, European Union, Economic Policy, and Regional Politics
Political Geography:
Europe, Eastern Europe, and Balkans