European Union Enlargement Merit-Based Versus Wave-Based Accession in the Cases of Bulgaria and Romania

Date of Award

2007

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Hicks, Barbara

Keywords

European Union, Bulgaria, Romania

Area of Concentration

Political Science

Abstract

After decades of integration, the European Union's members embrace similar political values, economic goals and social norms. The collapse of communism in 1989 challenged the EU to balance these norms with concerns for regional stability in considering enlargement. This study investigates the dynamics of enlarging by waves of countries versus enlarging according to the merit of each. In assessing whether waves are prioritized over merit, all five rounds of accession are addressed, but the study centers upon Bulgaria and Romania and examines the three categories of criteria used by the EU: political, economic, and acquis, the EU's body of law. The study finds that for practical reasons the EU prefers to enlarge by waves, but individual merit defines the floor of the group. An unwavering expectation that democracy be safeguarded is balanced by more flexibility regarding economic criteria. The acquis criteria allow for flexibility in areas that interfere least with national interests of older members. These findings have implications for current candidates for membership, future applicants, and other regional organizations. The heavy role of the European Union in shaping the policy of acceding states also bears great impact on regional stability, which is particularly salient in an increasingly interconnected world.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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