Building a bigger Europe. EU and NATO enlargement in comparative perspective

Book abstract:

This project developed out of a growing perception that there was a lack of comparative literature on the EU and NATO enlargement processes. The study aims to take a step towards filling the gap and to provide a basis for further research.

Chapter 1 introduces the main themes and approaches. The second chapter provides an historical evaluation of the development of the EU and NATO agendas towards Central and Eastern Europe and is based around a central concept of 'incremental linkage' between the two enlargement processes. Chapter 3 investigates the contemporary enlargement debates beyond the EU Amsterdam summit and NATO Madrid summit in 1997 and focuses upon the central issues of finance, sequencing, institutional adaptation and what is termed the 'acquis factor'. Chapter 4 identifies the key factors affecting the survival and development of NATO since 1989. It focuses firstly on the interest and agendas of leading Member States, and then concentrates on the development of the Partnership for Peace process and also on NATO's growing role in peace keeping and co-operation with the United Nations. Chapter 5 looks at the EU's economic engagement with the CEE states and assesses the impact that enlargement will have on the EU and the nature of the integration process. In the final Chapter the authors argue that both the EU and NATO are indispensable to the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive pan-European security order. In doing so, they put forward the position that enlargement to take in as many states as possible is essential but that both organisations need to develop stable relationships with those states unlikely to become members of one or both institutions in the near future.