The debate over whether the European Union (EU) should accept new members has recently gained momentum. In June 2022, just months after Russia invaded Ukraine, the European Council granted the latter nation and the Republic of Moldova candidate country status, and Georgia potential candidate status.
The three states now benefit from association agreements with the EU. The Western Balkan countries have already been offered a path to membership in principle and in their relations with the EU a development is also perceptible. Although the Stabilization and Association Agreements that govern their ties with Brussels have already contributed to an improvement, the region’s economy remains well below the level of current member states. Furthermore, Western Balkan countries must step up their engagement in the fight against corruption and law enforcement. The EU faces the problem that any future enlargement will necessarily conflict with the deepening of the union, a dilemma that the friction caused by the last enlargement, joined by the countries of central and eastern Europe, has brought highlights a dilemma. Adding eight or nine more countries would significantly increase the number of potential vetoes and thus threaten the EU’s ability to act. From this perspective, alternatives to full membership should be duly considered, although such a new architecture would, ideally, continue to promote close political and economic cooperation in Europe.