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differentiated integration

February 5, 2025

🧭 Differentiated democratic enlargement to sharpen EU accession process

Richard Youngs EU enlargement is often hailed as a tool for spurring political reform and countering Russian influence. But Richard Youngs argues that its democratic dimensions are more complex than conventional wisdom suggests. He proposes the concept of differentiated democratic enlargement to address varied pre-accession dynamics and refine EU strategies Read more

January 13, 2025

🧭 The EU needs enlargement, but it may not get there

Maria Giulia Amadio Viceré EU enlargement could address collective action problems and stabilise its neighbourhood, but stalled accession processes may make full membership unlikely. Maria Giulia Amadio Viceré and Matteo Bonomi suggest that partial integration — engaging candidate countries in EU policies without membership — will remain the EU's main strategy for managing internal and regional crises Read more

January 3, 2025

🧭 'Differentiated membership' would overcome the EU’s enlargement dilemma

Frank Schimmelfennig The EU is caught in a dilemma between its geopolitical urge to enlarge and the high institutional standards for membership. Frank Schimmelfennig argues that differentiated integration would help square the circle. Committed candidate countries could join fast, but only enjoy full rights and benefits of membership conditional on institutional progress Read more

February 25, 2022

The benefits and risks for the EU of ‘differentiated integration’

Sandra Kröger Using an expert survey, Sandra Kröger and Thomas Loughran assess the benefits and risks for the EU of ‘differentiated integration’ – where countries do not participate in specific policy areas or proceed at different speeds of integration. Their findings reveal mixed support for the process with some notable differences of opinion. Read more

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