The European Union and Central and Eastern Europe: The Implications of Enlargement in Stages

This text aims to analyze the implications of the process of enlargement in the EU in stages. The first half is concerned with the criteria likely to be used in deciding whether countries are ready to join. Then follows a discussion of the consequences of enlargment in waves for the EU institutions, the structural funds, the Common Agricultural Policy and the EU budget. The following section deals with the wider economic implications for trade, competitiveness, foreign direct investment, growth, the location of industry, and labour migration, as well as the implications for foreign and security policy. The final part discusses possible solutions to the problems posed by Eastward enlargment of the EU. It concludes that this enlargment in stages will not resolve the fundamental problems posed by accession to the CEECs to the EU. To cope with increased diversity in a larger Union, other forms of differentiated integration will have to be devised.