On 1 July 2013 the European Union welcomed the Republic of Croatia as its twenty-eighth Member State. Croatia’s accession represents an important step in completing the construction of the EU, but also a touch stone for the Union’s enlargement policy.
On the one hand, it proves the transformative power of EU enlargement policy: Croatia, a country torn by the devastating Balkan conflicts of the 1990s, has become a stable democracy able to take on the obligations of EU membership within a short timespan of two decades. On the other hand, this accession and, in particular, the signing of the Accession Treaty, has coincided with the ‘Euro-crisis’ and the enactment of the Fiscal Compact Treaty.Bearing this in mind, does Croatia’s accession confirm the integration project or does its ‘bad timing’ send a warning message to other ‘would-be-members’? Is it an evidence of the credibility of EU enlargement policy and demonstration of the still-existing strong beliefs in the European Union? Or can it have a dissuading effect on prospective members in the Western Balkans?This conference will take a closer look at the accession process in general, and at Croatia’s accession negotiations and the legal character of the Seventh Accession Treaty, in particular. The conference will also discuss the implications of this last accession for the future rounds of EU enlargement and, especially for the Western Balkans countries.
Talare: Engelbrekt, Rogulj, Lazowski, Vlasic, Svensson, Hillion, Svenningsson, Blockmans, Brsakoska
Plats: Place: Citykonferensen/Ingenjörshuset, Celsiussalen, Time: Friday, 11 October 2013, 13.00 - 17.15