Internal and external contestation of EU Enlargement

Abstract

The process of EU enlargement has been largely stalled since Croatia joined the EU in 2013. The enlargement process was only reinvigorated in 2022, when candidate status was granted to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, and Ukraine, and accession negotiations were opened with Albania. Despite this renewed momentum, the commitment to EU integration among prospective member states remains a polarizing matter. Likewise, EU member states have varying positions on how enlargement should be carried out in the new reality of geopolitical threats. This panel seeks to add novel empirical perspectives on the phenomenon of enlargement contestation and theorize the phenomenon among both candidate countries and EU member states. It explores: - Empirical (comparative) cases of enlargement contestation; - Theoretical approaches to contestation of enlargement, exploring similarities and differences across time and space, as well as waves of enlargement; - Key actors and their networks driving enlargement contestation in candidate countries and member states at national and sub-national levels; - Main narratives, strategies and activities adopted for contestation; - Policy implications of contestation for both the EU and the candidate countries. The panel aims to feature qualitative and quantitative contributions, case studies or comparative case studies, and papers using varying theoretical approaches that explore the causes of enlargement contestation, the actors engaged in contestation and the effects of contestation among prospective member states and in the EU.

Title	Details
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