The European Union has grown significantly from its original structure formed by six countries. The continuous enlargement has allowed its members to greatly benefit from both a political and economic perspective. Nonetheless, a bigger EU must face a new set of challenges, especially regarding fast decision-making. This becomes particularly true when thinking about the war taking place right outside the EU borders, in Ukraine. Additionally, the expansion of the bloc seems far from over, with multiple countries still aiming to join the club.
Entering the European Union
Becoming a member of the European Union is not a process that happens overnight. Indeed, the potential candidate must first meet particular standards to be eligible, the so-called Copenhagen criteria. Said conditions include political, economic, and administrative requirements. This means that the candidate must guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights, other than a free economic market, and the ability to implement the EU legislation into their own. (Joining the EU, 2023)
The process of joining the EU is divided into three steps. Once the country is ready it becomes an official candidate for membership. Afterwards, the stage of formal negotiation begins, during which EU legislation is incorporated into the national legal framework and reforms are put into place to meet the conditions for joining (accession criteria). Lastly, when both sides of the agreement have found a compromise, the country can join the club. (Steps towards joining, 2023)
At the moment, eight countries are in the process of integrating EU legislation into their national law, these are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. To be added to the list, there are two more potential candidates, Georgia and Kosovo, which do not fulfil the requirements for EU membership yet. (Joining the EU, 2023)
Ten additional members may seem like a lot. However, we must not forget that the EU has always been prompted to enlarge itself. It started with six original members in 1958 and has grown ever since reaching 27 members to this day. Between 2004 and 2007 the number of members of the EU almost doubled with the addition of many countries that were under Soviet influence. (History of the European Union 2000-09, 2023)
Advantages of a bigger EU
It comes as no surprise that the constant enlargement of the club has brought relevant benefits to the member states. In the first place, it has helped young democracies assert themselves and achieve political stability. In addition, the economic advantages are tangible: after the entrance of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, the EU became the largest single market globally. In this sector, every member state plays an important role in becoming a stable economic partner to each other. Finally, it is noticeable how a joint approach is more helpful in the fight against international crime organizations, which are involved in drug and human trafficking, as well as terrorism. (The advantages of an enlarged Europe, 2023)
The voting method has the EU divided
On the other hand, it must be remembered that the composition of the member states varies a lot. Fifteen countries in the club have a population under 10 million, making up about 14% of the bloc’s 448 million (The outsize influence of small states is fading in the EU, 2023). This aspect is particularly significant when discussing decisions that require unanimity. Common foreign and security policy, citizenship, EU membership, harmonization of national legislation on indirect taxation, EU finances, certain provisions regarding the justice field, and harmonization of national legislation in the field of social security and protection are all considered sensible topics, therefore entail consent from each state (Unanimity, 2022). Even though it does not happen often that small countries apply veto power (The outsize influence of small states is fading in the EU, 2023), there have been some cases in which small countries held hostage the entire action of the European Union.
For instance, the entrance of North Macedonia into the bloc has been slowed down by the veto (later removed in June 2022) posed by Bulgaria (ÖZKAN, 2022). More recently, the veto issue has re-arisen in connection with the Russian-Ukrainian war. The Hungarian Prime Minister has publicly stated his dissent for the possible participation of Ukraine in the Union (Hungary signals veto of Ukraine EU membership talks, 2023). Moreover, Orban’s government has not supplied any funds in favor of Ukraine and is suspected of posing a veto against financial aid packages to Kyiv (Gabriela Baczynska, 2023).
Bigger and more powerful states have started to grow insufferable towards the behavior of these smaller countries. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed her opinion in favor of amending the unanimity rule that covers relevant matters (LYNCH, 2023). Previously this year, a group of nine European countries, including the “bigs” like Germany and France, have joined forces to ask for a shift from unanimity to the qualified majority as a voting method. Unfortunately, abolishing unanimity will require all members to agree on the alteration, and ironically these nine countries do not even reach the qualified majority (55% of States in favor that represent at least 65% of the European population) (Liboreiro, 2023).
The main reason for removing veto power from the hands of EU countries is to speed up the decision-making process, especially in subjects that require a swift response, such as the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Not all countries fancy the idea of moving away from unanimity. In particular, Poland and Hungary are keen on protecting their veto power, to prevent Brussels’s meddling into national affairs in which countries want a decisional monopoly and complete sovereignty (Zsiros, 2023). Furthermore, they want “to stop the EU from quietly becoming a federal state against the wishes of its member states”, as the Balkan Insight reports (Bakó, 2022).
The EU was born nourished with two conflicting approaches: the federalist one and the functionalist one. Throughout the decades, on one hand, there has been some serious skepticism towards a more unified Europe, especially by certain countries, like France, which was involved in the empty chair crisis in 1965 and failed to ratify the Treaty for the Constitution of Europe (this time together with the Netherlands) (History: The Empty Chair Crisis, 2010) (The Constitution for the European Union and the Treaty of Lisbon, 2023). On the other hand, there has been a progressive extension of the European prerogatives and programs incentivizing European integration, like the steps taken by the Maastricht Treaty (1992) and the Lisbon Treaty (2007). The exit of the United Kingdom has re-sparked the federalist animus since the UK precisely, was rooting for a more intergovernmental approach (Hayrapetyan, 2020).
Conclusion
In conclusion, widening the EU borders seems to bring more benefits than disadvantages. In fact, most newcomers that entered the EU were able to establish flourishing democracies after periods of dictatorships. This is the case for Spain, Greece and Portugal (The war in Ukraine is a powerful reason to enlarge-and improve- the EU, 2023). Additionally, both bigger and smaller countries benefit from a single market. Smaller countries are able to expand their domestic markets. In contrast, bigger countries take advantage of being more protected by huge competitors, like China and the USA (The outsize influence of small states is fading in the EU, 2023).
The EU does not seem interested in stopping its growth. As said above, ten countries could become new members. On certain occasions, taking a united stance has already proven to be difficult with 27 members. Picturing an EU that has over thirty members, in which every individual country has veto power, seems almost impossible (The war in Ukraine is a powerful reason to enlarge-and improve- the EU, 2023)
References
ÖZKAN, C. E. (2022, September 26). Ankasam Ahkacam. Tratto da The Future of National Veto in the EU: https://www.ankasam.org/the-future-of-national-veto-in-the-eu/?lang=en
Bakó, B. (2022, December 21). Balkan Insight. Tratto da IN DEFENCE OF THE EU VETO: https://balkaninsight.com/2022/12/21/in-defence-of-the-eu-veto/
European Union Legal Materials. (2023, Novembre 13). Tratto da Colombia Law School: https://guides.law.columbia.edu/c.php?g=1221803&p=9087251
Gabriela Baczynska, K. T. (2023, November 10). EU has 'Plan B' if Hungary vetoes 50 billion euro aid for Ukraine. Tratto da Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-has-plan-b-if-hungary-vetoes-50-billion-euro-aid-ukraine-2023-11-10/
Hayrapetyan, A. (2020, September 21). Federalism, Functionalism and the EU: The Visions of Mitrany, Monnet and Spinelli. Tratto da E-international relations: https://www.e-ir.info/2020/09/21/federalism-functionalism-and-the-eu-the-visions-of-mitrany-monnet-and-spinelli/
History of the European Union 2000-09. (2023, November 14). Tratto da European Union: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/history-eu/2000-09_en
Hungary signals veto of Ukraine EU membership talks. (2023, November 10). Tratto da Aljazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/10/hungarys-orban-says-negotiations-on-ukraines-future-eu-membership-should-not-move-forward
Joining the EU. (2023, Novembre 13). Tratto da European Union: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/joining-eu_en
Liboreiro, J. (2023, May 4). Nine EU countries join forces to reform voting rules on foreign policy and dent veto power. Tratto da Euronews: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/05/04/nine-eu-countries-join-forces-to-reform-voting-rules-on-foreign-policy-and-dent-veto-power
LYNCH, S. (2023, November 2). Politico. Tratto da Germany’s Baerbock pitches radical EU reform as bloc eyes expansion: https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-annalena-baerbock-radical-eu-reform-eu-commission/
Steps towards joining. (2023, Novembre 13). Tratto da European Union: https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/enlargement-policy/steps-towards-joining_en
The advantages of an enlarged Europe. (2023, November 12). Tratto da The Federal Government: https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-en/issues/europe/the-advantages-of-an-enlarged-europe-436830
The outsize influence of small states is fading in the EU. (2023, November 9). The Economist.
The war in Ukraine is a powerful reason to enlarge- and improve- the EU. (2023, September 8). The Economist.
Unanimity. (2022, October 6). Tratto da European Council Council of the European Union: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/voting-system/unanimity/
Zsiros, J. L. (2023, May 23). Hungary and Poland rally allies to defend veto power in EU foreign policy. Tratto da Euronews: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/05/23/hungary-and-poland-rally-allies-to-defend-veto-power-in-eu-foreign-policy
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