The Enlargement of Europe

This is an examination of the debates surrounding the expansion of the five main European institutions since the end of the Cold War.

These institutions - the European Union, NATO, the Western European Union, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe - have all had to adjust to the changes that have accompanied the collapse of communism.

All of these institutions were founded during the Cold War and now they face demands to enlarge their membership to admit states from Eastern Europe.

The extent and speed with which the process enlargement will take place will be the most important factor in determining the way in which the continent develops.

The book, employing a political science approach, focuses on three main questions.

These questions provide sources of continuity throughout the different chapters and will provide the unifying themes for the conclusion.

These questions are: (i) Is there an accepted unitary vision as to how Europe should develop and is the vision guiding the process of enlargement? Or are there competing visions between the different institutions which is resulting in a fragmentary approach?(ii) To what extent have there been separate motives for enlargement within each institution?

Have these debates and policies, going on within each institution, been related to any overall policy framework? (iii) Has there been a deliberate policy by Western governments to indulge in "cost free" expansion, enlarging political areas first and leaving more difficult issues of security and economics to a later stage?