The intention of this paper is to identify the advantages and disadvantages for both Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) and the European Union, when the CEECs eventually join the EU. This will be done by first introducing the subject through a brief background concerning past enlargements of the Union, and will continue by outlining the countries that have been accepted as candidates. Moving on, the various criteria for accession will be identified, as will the process involved in the negotiations between candidate countries and the EU. The paper will then concentrate on the various advantages that the enlargement may carry for both the Union and the CEECs, and in contrast to this the final part of the paper will identify the disadvantages for the EU and the CEECs that may occur if the proposed enlargement goes ahead as planned.
The proposed enlargement of the European Union into Central and Eastern Europe is one of the most important opportunities for the Union as it moves further into the 21st century.
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Enlargement of the European Union (animation) Euro...Never before, in the history of the EU, has an expansion of such scale been attempted. It is a unique proposal that marks yet another milestone in the growing integration of a continent that is characterised by stability, prosperity and peace within and between both its current and future member states. The EU already has a successful history of past enlargements. Initially, there was the Treaty of Paris (1951) that established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and then the Treaty of Rome (1957) which created the European Economic Community (EEC). Both Treaties were signed by the six founding members of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The EU then underwent four enlargements to make up the current 15 member states. The first of these was...