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Abstract
The paper examines the impact of the various forms of differentiated integration, such as multi-speed, variable geometry and à la carte, on the position of small Member States in the new Europe. The recent proposals to create a small, but non-exclusive, 'pioneering' core group of Member States that will lead the initiative to deepen the integration process in areas such as the CFSP and EMU have created serious concerns among small Member States regarding their future role in an enlarged EU. In light of these developments the paper will: a) address such concerns from small Member States and examine whether and how their position is compromised by such initiatives of differential integration; b) examine the prospects of success of their own counter-strategies for regional coalitions as well as the short and long-term impact of such actions on the functioning of the European Union; c) contribute to the understanding of the overall tension between small and large Member States in the European Union and the way in which the recent proposals of differentiated integration have contributed to that tension.
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