Publication

This paper provides a comparative study on the different ways EU enlargement can be conceptualized. The authors propose three logics according to which international actors take their decisions. With this theoretical background, they analyze the enlargement process from the initial decision to enlarge to its final implementation. The paper concludes with the observation that the decision to enlarge can be explained and justified from different points of view, based on national interests, collective identity, and a deliberate process. By providing proof of common values promoted and defended by the EU, the authors claim that the legitimacy of EU enlargement goes beyond simple utilitarian reasoning.