Enlarging to the Western Balkans. The EU Must Correct Its (Political) Math

While the EU has tended to frame enlargement in terms of charity, morality, and – above all – technicality, it has failed to exert political leadership over the process. Member states skeptical of enlargement have been able to block progress on technicalities and construct geopolitical excuses for their caution. Now, however, Germany and Italy can make a persuasive geopolitical case for enlarging to the Western Balkans, and they have the political calculus on their side. There is no excuse for missing this opportunity.

Paper produced in the framework of the project “The Future of EU Enlargement: Accelerating European Integration in the Western Balkans”.