Is there a limit to the EU’s enlargement process?

Is there a limit to the EU’s enlargement process?

There is a limit to the EU’s enlargement process. Namely, the process is limited geographically, as seen in the case of Morocco, economically under the Copenhagen Criteria and politically, resulting from intergovernmentalism. Seeing as the enlargement process has already deepened and widened to encompass the majority of the East and West of Europe, the possibility of further enlargement to Turkey and Israel has predestined the EU to disparagement from Eurosceptics and those content on the geographical borders of what constitutes Europe. Despite the ambiguity of the European borders, EU enlargement has focused upon “common values” (Rehn, 2009) rather than geography, allowing the process to expand beyond the geographical frontiers of continental Europe. However, ultimately there is a limit to the enlargement process, whether observable or not, and in the essay I will be discussing these limits.

The postulation of the deepening and widening of the European Union, and its prospective damage upon the Union, has been debated within European spheres and beyond by Eurosceptics and Europhiles; vis`-a-vis´ the repercussions upon the limits to EU enlargement. While exemplifying the extent of the EU’s enlargement project, the deepening and widening of the EU had also presented a limitation to the enlargement process. The deepening of the EU, referring to “more integration” (Adebahr, 2008, p.2) and the widening of the EU, referring to “more members” (Adebahr, 2008, p.2) work in sync; simultaneously organized for the enlargement of the European Union. Whilst, this process of deepening and widening has sanctioned the growth of the union into a major world force, it has also come under criticism from Eurosceptics. The deepening and widening of the European Union has been scrutinized for its effect upon the enlargement process, in so much as the long-term effects upon the union. The consequences of the eastward enlargement

Bibliography: Adams, R. (2004). ‘It 's the economy, stupid.’ Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/oct/05/eu.turkey. Last accessed 30th October 2012. Adebahr, C (2008). “The Debate Goes on: Widening vs. Deepening- Europe between Enlargements”. American Council on Germany Occasional Paper. Available at: http://www.adebahr.eu/Docs/ACG-OccPaper.pdf. Last accessed: 30th October 2012. p.2 Adebahr, C (2008) Aydin, A (2009). ‘Imagining the EU in the Turkish Mirror.’ In: Arvanitopoulos, C Turkey 's Accession to the European Union: An Unusual Candidacy. Berlin: Springer-Verlag GmbH. pp. 177-179. Baraysch, K & Grabble, H (2002). ‘Who 's Ready for EU Enlargement?’ Working paper. Available at: http://www.cer.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/attachments/pdf/2011/wp416_enlargement-2291.pdf. Last accessed: 22nd October 2012. p.39 Bolkestein, F Christiansen, T, Petito, F & Tonra, B (2000). ‘Fuzzy Politics Around Fuzzy Borders: The European Union’s “Near Abroad”. Cooperation and Conflict, 35 (4) pp.389-393. Europa Fuchs, D & Klingemann, H-D (2000). ‘Eastward enlargement of the European Union and the identity of Europe.’ Working paper. Available at: http://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/49005/1/322802512.pdf. Last accessed: 22nd October 2012. p.2 Harbsmeier, M Higashino, A (2004). ‘For the Sake of "Peace and Security’? The Role of Security in the European Union Enlargement Eastwards.’ Cooperation and Conflict, 39 (4): pp.347-350. House of Lords (2006) Jovanovic, M. (2003). ‘Eastern Europe of the EU: a Topsy-turvy Endgame or Permanent Disillusionment.’ In: Praussello, F The Economics of EU Enlargement. Milan: Franco Angeli. p.47. Macmillan, C. (2009). ‘The Application of Neofunctionalism to the Enlargement Process: The Case of Turkey.’ Journal of Common Market Studies. 47 (4), pp.790-806. Morris, C. (2002). ‘Turkey entry 'would destroy EU '. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2420697.stm. Last accessed 27th October 2012. Phillips, D. (2004). ‘Turkey 's Dreams of Accession.’ Available at: http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/60100/david-l-phillips/turkeys-dreams-of-accession. Last accessed 22nd October 2012. Rehn, O. (2009). ‘Good to know about EU Enlargement.’ Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/publication/screen_mythfacts_a5_en.pdf. Last accessed 30th October 2012. Rehn, O (2006). “Deepening and widening: the false dichotomy”. Speech at ELIAMEP Athens, Greece. Available at: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-06-163_en.htm?locale=en. Last accessed: 30th October 2012 Tatham, A (2009) The Economist. (2001). ‘A survey of European Union enlargement. The limits of Europe: Where will it all end?’ Available at: http://www.economist.com/node/622829. Last accessed 20th October 2012. Verney, S (2006). ‘Justifying the second enlargement: promoting interests, consolidating democracy or returning to the roots?’ In: Sjursen, H Questioning EU Enlargement: Europe in search of identity. Oxon: Routledge. p.22