"EU enlargement towards South Eastern Europe and Black Sea Area

Abstract

For the EU, the prospect of the integration of more

countries in the EU family, on the basis of strict

eligibility criteria has undoubtedly helped the EU to

secure peace and safety for its citizens. The most

important was to achieve peace and stability in the

region of the former Yugoslavia, and to support

democratic and economic reforms both in Central Eastern

Europe and the Balkans in general.

However, in recent years, under the pressure of a

fundamental crisis inside the Union, and of daunting

challenges in the post-war Balkan aspirants, the

integration engine has begun to lose steam at a somewhat

alarming pace. The question is if it is possible for the

Balkan states to become members of the EU family, to

[1]

support democratic reforms and human rights, to respect

minorities and to establish a healthy economy, in the

middle of a structural financial crisis. Unfortunately,

because of the crisis and the uprising of other powers

Europe is losing its importance in a multi-polar world,

the elites from Europe could change their mind about the

liberties that the population enjoy, in addition to their

right to have a decent job, to be employed under good

conditions, to have social protection and so on. In fact,

we can see a regression in several European countries on

this matter. Europe tried to make the rest of the world

according its own ideal, but now is the rest of the world

that can shape Europe

Table of contents "EU enlargement towards South Eastern Europe and Black Sea Area........................................................1

Abstract..................................................1

[2]

Introduction................................................2The discussed problem.......................................3

THE EU idea.................................................3The Enlargement Process...................................5

Definition of the Area, Which Is the Southeastern Europe?. 6The Enlargement in the Western Balkans....................7

The Enlargement in Black Sea area.........................9Conclusion...............................................11

Bibliography................................................13

Introduction

The idea of Europe as a union came after the WWII. The

initial idea was to unify commercially European countries

in order to make war unthinkable and impossible, united

the continent under the power of mutual understanding and

respect and not under enforcement and violence. So after

WWII the political climate in Europe fostered an

international unity that could preserve peace and protect

European counties from another devastating war. Since

then, numerous treaties were signed and Europe has

undergone enlargements which have taken it from 6 members

[3]

to 28 (Croatia is the last member of the EU). As years

were pacing by the union was evolved into an organization

connecting various fields of interest from education and

training to employment policies and from development to

the protection of the environment and human rights. The

EU is based on the rule of law. Everything that it does

is founded on treaties, voluntarily and democratically

agreed by all member countries. These binding agreements

set out the EU's goals in its many areas of activity.

Because the main goals is to integrate as many as

possible of the countries of the continent EU expands

since the day of its creation. The process of enlargement

is continuous.

The discussed problem

The European Union (EU) occasionally undergoes rounds of

enlargement. But every enlargement so far not only

brought new members and territories to the EU, it also

affects the inner structure not only of the union itself

but also the structure of the (new) member states.

Furthermore, the enlargement process has created new

[4]

borders, neighbors and problems, forcing it to meet

unique challenges and generating new dynamics..

THE EU idea

As it is mentioned, the idea of uniting the European

countries came after the WWII. The main idea was that a

financial and commercial link between them could end the

frequent and bloody wars between neighbors, which

culminated in the Second World War1.

West European nations create the Council of Europe in

1949. It is a first step towards cooperation between

them, but six countries want to go further. The first

steps were to foster economic cooperation: the idea being

that countries that trade with one another become

economically interdependent and so more likely to avoid

conflict.

In 1951, six countries founded the European Coal and

Steel Community, to unite European countries economically

and politically in order to secure lasting peace.and1 Barnard, Catherine (August 2007). The Substantive Law of the EU: The four freedoms (2 ed.). Oxford University Press.

[5]

later, in 1957, the European Economic Community and the

European Atomic Energy Community.

The first six countries who join this type of union were

Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the

Netherlands. It is a decision that probably protected the

European continent from another devastating war if you

think that the 1950s are dominated by a cold war between

east and west.

During the following years the community and its

successors have grown in size and in power by the

accession of new member states. The Maastricht Treaty

established the European Union under its current name in

1993. The latest major amendment to the constitutional

basis of the EU, the Treaty of Lisbon, came into force in

20092.

The EU has finally developed a single market through a

standardized system of laws that apply in all member

states. Within the Schengen Area passport controls have

been abolished. And so EU policies aim to ensure the free

2 Craig, Paul; Grainne De Burca , P. P. Craig (2007). EU Law: Text, Cases and Materials (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 15

[6]

movement of people, goods, services, and capital, which

is very essential for the operation of the EU

The Enlargement Process

The historic accessions that brought in 2004 and 2007 no

fewer than 12 countries into the EU's fold were followed

by comparatively modest progress in the period since

Thessaloniki, with only Croatia managing to join the

union 2013. Moreover, while the methodology of the

process has become more exacting with each enlargement

round, public opinion and political rhetoric in the

member states have grown progressively more cautious

towards newcomers, and started to turn attention away

from – and, indeed, occasionally against – further EU

widening. In addition , the current financial crisis and

the continuous conflicts in the area of southeastern

Europe and the Balkans, has increased euroscepticism. The

Commission's reports strike a positive note for some of

the EU hopefuls in the Balkans. But several thinks need

to be done. Candidate states have to complete completed

several and continuous screening meetings for all

negotiating chapters. The Treaty on the European Union

[7]

states that any European country may apply for membership

if it respects the democratic values of the EU and is

committed to promoting them.3 The EU operates procedures

that ensure new members are admitted only when they can

demonstrate they will be able to play their part fully as

members, namely by:

complying with all the EU's standards and rules having the consent of the EU institutions and EU

member states having the consent of their citizens – as expressed

through approval in their national parliament or by referendum.

The first step is for the country to meet the key

criteria for accession. These were mainly defined at the

European Council in Copenhagen in 1993 and are hence

referred to as 'Copenhagen criteria'. Countries wishing

to join need to have:

stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the ruleof law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;

a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU;

the ability to take on and implement effectively theobligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.

3 http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/policy/from-6-to-28-members/index_en.htm

[8]

The EU also needs to be able to integrate new members. In

the case of the countries of the Western Balkans

additional conditions for membership, were set out in the

so-called 'Stabilisation and Association process', mostly

relating to regional cooperation and good neighborly

relations4.

Throughout the processes of negotiations, the European

Commission examines the potential member state’s

progress. If the candidate state has applied in EU

legislation and has met its other commitments, and

requirements, which are essential for any member stare

who wants to join the EU.

This gives the candidate additional guidance as it

assumes the responsibilities of membership, as well as an

assurance to current members that the candidate is

meeting the conditions for joining. The Commission also

keeps the EU Council and European Parliament informed

throughout the process, through regular reports, strategy

papers, and clarifications on conditions for further

progress5.

4 Ibid5 ibid

[9]

Definition of the Area, Which Is the Southeastern Europe?

There are various definitions of the region of Southeast

Europe (SEE). In geographical terms, it is often taken to

coincide with the Balkan Peninsula. In terms of political

geography it may be taken to include all those countries

that have some part of its territory on the Balkan

Peninsula. In a broader definition, that takes into

account other criteria too, for instance those of

economic or cultural geography, some neighboring

countries or regions could also be included because they

have significant (economic or security) regional

interests or (economic, demographic or cultural)

interests in the region. Finally, intersecting regions

could also be considered, for instance Southeast Europe

could be a combination of (some parts of) the Balkan

region and of (some parts of) the Danube region or of

(some parts of) the region of Central Europe6.

6 Vladimir Gligorov, Transition, Integration And Development In Southeast Europe, Ekonomski Pregled, 58 (5-6) 259-304 2007

[10]

Bottom line, EU considers southeast Europe as an area

that includes eight Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and

Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, F.Y.R.O.M, Montenegro,

Romania and Serbia and the territory of Kosovo. This is

the set of countries and territories that belong to the

Balkan region in terms of political geography and are

also post-socialist transition countries. This set of

countries is sometimes divided into those that belong to

the Eastern Balkans (Bulgaria and Romania) and those that

are in the Western Balkans (all the rest)7.

The Enlargement in the Western Balkans

The Western Balkans have joined the enlargement process

with a view to their future accession to the European

Union (EU). Several steps in the move towards European

integration still need to be taken. As potential

candidates, the countries of the Western Balkans have a

European perspective. Their candidacy was confirmed by

the Thessaloniki European Council in 2003. The European

perspective for the Western Balkan countries is linked7 Ibid

[11]

together with the stabilization process, in the area In

addition to the specific regional requirements regarding

political and economic stability and regional

cooperation, the stabilization and association process

has gradually incorporated the enlargement process

instruments to bring the countries of the region closer

to the EU.8

At the same time, recent events in the EU have shown that

the EUi s more fragile than may one consider. The

rejection of the EU constitution, the financial crisis

and the continuous enlargement process which started in

2004, are settin )for some euroscepticist EU in peril.

Post-enlargement EU is more fragile and ineffective and

surprisingly more dangerous than the enlarging EU. And

this is first to be seen in the Balkans. As history has

shown, the Balkan territory is unstable and difficult to

control. The complicated past of the previous centuries,

the conflict between the neighbor countries and of cource

nationalism that is always present, represent the area as

a tinderbox, and there is always just a match needed to

8 http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/enlargement/western_balkans/index_en.htm

[12]

light that tinderbox. Any failure of the EU to bring

stability and development to the Balkans will not simply

increase the import of immigrants and criminality in the

member states but will de-legitimize the Europe project.

It is in the Balkans that the EU should either

demonstrate that its transformative power can work in

regions where states are weak and societies are divided

or it will sink into irrelevance. Because of the scale

and the nature of its involvement the Balkans is the

make-or-break test for the union9.

EU leaders hope that the wars, and conflicts in the

Balkans, are over, something that is quite difficult,

when still nationalism is present and violence and

violent incidents are still hanging heavy in the air. In

addition, the wars in Balkan may have ended, but there is

still another war under process. What the region faces in

is not the prospect of a new Balkan war but a nasty

combination of state failures and small criminal wars,

makes the region’s profile and future bleak. There is a

mixture of weak states and international protectorates,

where Europe has stationed almost half of its deployable9

[13]

forces. Economic growth in these territories is low or

non-existent. In addition, unemployment is high and

corruption is pervasive. Furthermore the public is

pessimistic and distrustful towards its nascent

democratic institutions. Either the EU devises a bold

strategy for accession that could encompass all Balkan

countries as new members within the next decade, or it

will become mired instead as a neo-colonial power in

places like Kosovo, Bosnia, and even F.Y.R.O.M. Such an

anachronism would be hard to manage and would be in

contradiction with the very nature of the European Union.

The Enlargement in Black Sea area

The Black Sea region is MAYBE one of the more important

challenges that the enlarged European Union will face.

Given that the area controls important and various

sources of energy, it is near Russia and Turkey and after

the incidents in Ukraine, the importance is now more than

obvious. The EU and the Black Sea region are linked

together by 2 member states Bulgaria, Romania one

[14]

potential, Greece, that controls the Aegean. IN addition,

EU has special relations with Ukraine and Russia because

of the sources of energy and gas given that the recent

incidents in Ukraine, controlled the relation between EU-

Russia- Ukraine.

As it is said, Bulgaria and Romania are full members of

the EU family. And when Turkey becomes EU member, the

Union will directly border the Black Sea, accounting for

half of its coastline. The question now is not whether

but rather when the EU will become a Black Sea power. As

such, it will have to develop policies for regional

issues and deal with threats to regional stability,

because it will be virtually impossible to prevent

various crises around the Black Sea from affecting EU

Europe. Finding ways to prevent likely destabilizing

factors from arising at the regional level and dealing

with them before they affect the EU area will be a trial

for the enlarged Union.

The process of creating a unique ‘Black Sea component’

within the EU, that has started with the enlargement in

2007 (Bulgaria- Romania), combining a number of other

[15]

potential member countries, negotiating and non-

negotiating accession countries, partner countries and

non-EU (with and without the intention to apply for

membership) countries, would allow the EU to deal more

efficiently with enlargement problems in a vast region

from South-Eastern Europe to the shores of the Caspian

Sea. Giving EU the advantage against Russia as it is

concerns the recourses of power. It will also support the

further democratization of the area and as a result none

of the countries would feel itself excluded from the

benefits of further integration into the EU and where the

EU itself would not need to decide its final borders once

and for all. This would enable the EU to retain its most important trump

card and to continue to push for further reforms and transformation in its

‘Black Sea neighborhood’ without promising membership options10

The Black Sea countries have created, during the post

Cold War era, numerous organizations (mainly) and

cooperation schemes that are in close collaboration with

the EU. With the recent enlargement of the European10 Mustafa Aydin, Europe’s next shore: the Black Sea region after EU enlargement, published by the European Union Institute for Security Studies, no 53, June 2004, p 5

[16]

Union, the region stands to benefit from the experience

and stability of the latter. The possible EU’s extension

to the area, will benefit both of them. EU will reach as

east as it gets, near Russia and the Black sea area will

be benefited from the stability and the democratic

institutions that EU offers.

The Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) organization,

is the most comprehensive and institutionalized structure

within the region.for the past 22 years, the

organization, has succeeded in creating an extensive

cooperation scheme in one of the most conflict-prone

regions of the post-Cold War world. Given that in the

area live numerous ethnicities, religions and despite the

number of ethnic-political conflicts the region has

faced, the BSEC, with its wide-ranging interests. Also

there is a continuous effort of cooperating closely with

the EU, that has been able to establish a permanent

dialogue between its member countries and a spirit of

cooperation towards mutual economic benefits. The EU has

so far resisted calls to develop a regional approach

[17]

towards the Black Sea and actively participate to the

Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization.

Conclusion

It is a well known fact that the EU is the only game in

town for the Balkans. Joining Europe is, A strategic

objective for the whole of the region. It is of high

importance the integration of those countries to the EU.

It is important for the future, economy, stability as for

the stability and peace in the area. Those countries need

to improve the economic rates as well as their finances

in general. Someone may think there in a transition

period but, there is a lot to be done in order to become

members of the EU family. Policy adoption and

institutional harmonization have major economic effects.

Perhaps the main lesson is that policy-making and policy-

taking game is less effective and beneficial than that of

integration and institutional development. In that

respect, the process of transition is quite different

from the process of development and the dynamics of EU

[18]

integration gives rather different results than that of

policy cooperation whether in bilateral or multilateral

settings. In general, process of transition, though it

has its problems, is friendlier to growth and development

both because it fosters faster liberalization and also

speedier institutional transformation. In most of the

research on transition, distributional issues are less

prominent. Indications are that transition in the context

of EU integration has also different consequences for

income distribution and for social equality or

inequality. Much could be learned from countries in

transition that could be useful for developing countries

that tend to exhibit much higher levels of inequality.

The Balkans, has and will continue to have constitutional

and other institutional deficiencies and they will

continue to impact both on their integration prospects

and on their economic development and on their welfare.

This is a continuing aspect of our work and it ties

nicely with the main point of difference between

transition and development. In that respect, SEE is a

region especially well suited for this type of research

[19]

as it exhibits both, problems connected with transition

and with development.

The Black Sea remains a region of high importance for the

EU AS well as for Russia. It is also a region in the

making, with plenty of conflicts and problems but also

with many riches. Active encouragement and support of the

Black Sea is very important, and the EU has a significant

role to play in the promotion of stability in the wider

Black Sea region.

For constructing an environment of peace and stability,

it is essential to link the Black Sea region with the EU,

not only in the realm of energy (oil and gas), but also

in the democratic process, the built of closer

collaboration and the support of institutions, minorities

and unemployed young people.

The EU should support and promote a strategy by

encouraging co-operetation of the Black Sea countries by

creating good neighborly relations and economic

development by investing and building constructions to

this area. In order to eliminate sources of political and

social tension in the region, the EU should support

[20]

reforms aimed at establishing good governance, the rule

of law, functioning civil societies and respect for

fundamental freedoms and human rights.

Bibliography

Caldwell Christopher, Reflections on the revolution in Europe,Penguin Books2010Craig, Paul; Grainne De Burca, EU Law: Text, Cases and Materials(4th ed.). Oxford 2007Paul Scott Mowrer, Balkanized Europe: A Study in Political Analysis andReconstruction, Ν.Υ Pentzopoulos Dimitri, the Balkan exchange of minorities and itsimpact onGreece, London 2002Corina Stratulat, EU enlargement to the Balkans: shaken, not stirred,European Policy center, 4 November 2013Anderson, Benedict. 1991. Imagined Communities: Reflections onthe Origin and Spread of Nationalism. Revised ed. London: VersoBialasiewicz, Luiza, ed. 2011. Europe in the World: EU Geopoliticsand the Making of European Space. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate.Bruter, Michael. 2005. Citizens of Europe? The Emergence of a MassEuropean Identity. London: Cerutti, Furio, Sonia Lucarelli, eds. 2008. The Search for aEuropean Identity: Values, Policies and Legitimacy of the European Union.London: . 1961. Barnard, Catherine The Substantive Law of the EU: The four freedoms(1st ed.). Oxford University Press. 2007.Bellier, Irène, In and out, fieldwork in a political space: the case of theEuropean Commission, Österreichische Zeitschrift fürPolitikwissenschaft, 2002,Brljavac, Bedrudin, Bosnia – between ethnic-nationalism andEuropeanization, 17 January 2012. Available from από:

[21]

http://www.transconflict.com/2012/01/bosnia-between-ethnic-nationalism-and-europeanization-171/Chandler, David, Bosnia – Faking Democracy after Dayton, PlutoPress, 2000Drulák, Petr, Metaphors in the discourse about European integration,European Journal of international Relations, 2006Cremona, Marise The Enlargement of the European Union, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2003, Collected Courses of the Academy of European Law, XII/1

Othon Anastasakis, The Europeanization of the Balkans, (2005-2006)12 Brown J. World Aff. 77Vladimir Gligorov, Transition, Integration And Development In Southeast Europe, Ekonomski Pregled, 58 (5-6) 259-304 (2007)Mustafa Aydin, Europe’s next shore: the Black Sea region after EU enlargement, published by the European Union Institute for Security Studies, no 53, June 2004

press1. Le Monde Diplomatique - www.monde-diplomatique.fr2. Le Nouvel Observateur – www.tempsreel.nouvelobs.com3. Foreign Affairs – www.foreignaffairs.com

[22]