The European Union: widening or deepening?

Résumé du document

"Enlargement and deepening are two wheels of a same carriage, to the pursuit of European integration". (FNSP, 2006) Michel Emerson, researcher at the Centre for European Policy Studies, describes these two exclusive events, enlargement and deepening must instead be conducted simultaneously. If the term 'enlargement' is no problem of semantics, it is good to reside on the meaning of the word 'deepening', which means an ever closer integration between members belonging to the Union. This it's often presented as a movement parallel and prior to enlargement. Since 1973, the European Community has continued to widen, increasing from 6 to 9 and then 10 and 12 Member States. These various enlargements have been an opportunity to make peace, economic prosperity and democracy on the continent since the end of the Cold War. In addition, the enlargement of the European Union helped to reinforce the weight latter on in the international role. At the same time, each enlargement seems to be coupled with a deepening. However, these recent years are different. Since its "creation", the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, the European Union, has gone through a large expansion but a very poor deepening. The EU seems to arrive at a stage where it can't continue to expand without being reformed, at the risk of letting its institutions run into failure (Pierre Gerbet, 1999).

From intergovernmental conference to intergovernmental conference, from the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) to the Treaty of Nice (2000), attempts were made to plug the cracks so that the EU does not take water. What is the route taken by the EU since its creation in 1992? The Union can continue to expand or should it pause in expanding and promoting its deepening? Thus, we will first discus how in recent years, enlargement took over on the deepening; and then we will see why this directed Europe to re-considerate its integration process and to wonder about its borders as also about the institutional form of which the EU wants to develop.

Extraits

[...] Today, the Union is not the ability to expand further. This would require reforming the Treaty of Nice on which we operate today. Alexander Stubb, Finnish MEP, has written a report on the European Union's capacity to integrate new Member States (FNSP, 2006). It then proposes various avenues of reflection: First, the greater involvement of the national parliaments as well as the increased role of the European Parliament for greater transparency in European decision-making. A rebalancing of the system of voting within the Council The modification of the system of rotation of the Presidency of the EU and the creation of a post of Minister of Foreign Affairs. [...]

[...] Since its creation, the European Union is undeniably much in-depth, but this was not enough to offset widening ever more numerous and fast. With no regret because these enlargements repeatedly have not proceeded by reforms today, Europe moves towards the institutional deadlock and political. Europe has great need of reforming the functioning of its institutions and deepens its political integration. To do this, European leaders must inevitably arise issues relating to the expansion of the borders of Europe ('the enlargement Yes, but where?'), as well as to the nature of the Union (federation, intergovernmental, etc.) (Polacek, 1999). [...]

[...] In addition to Turkey, candidate since 1963 and the partial freezing of the negotiations, that were voted by the Commission on December (decision reaffirmed by the European Summit in Brussels a few days later), candidates for future membership are many. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania are still being negotiated; Macedonia is recognized "official candidate" and other countries in the Balkans as Montenegro are "potential" . (Mannin, 1999). II/ Today the European Union must reflect on the orientation that it wants to give its integration and deepening To the paralysis of a Europe enlarged? The consequences of the enlargements have been heavy on all plans. [...]

[...] The Charter of fundamental rights is adopted by the European Council in Nice in December 2000. Europe, a major player in international relations The EU has greatly developed its relations with third parties and it has become an essential partner of the negotiations on the international scene (peace, democracy, commerce . Bill Clinton, the President-in- Office of the Council (Felipe González) and the president of the Commission, Jacques Santer met at the Madrid Summit in 1995 and signed an agreement with the United States, critical interlocutor of Europe including NATO and business partner of first order ("New Transatlantic Agreement, NTA). [...]

[...] (1999). Pushing back the boundaries : the European Union and Central and Eastern Europe . Manchester: Manchester University Press. Pierre Gerbet. (1999). La construction de l'Europe. Imprimeries Nationales. Polacek, R. (1999). Le débat élargissement-approfondissement dans la perspective de l'élargissement de l'Union européenne aux PECO : l'avenir de l'Europe : élargir et approfondir. [...]