Reconciling the Deepening and Widening of the European Union

Each enlargement of the European Communities/Union since 1973 has emphasized the strain that the 'widening' puts on the 'deepening' of the European integration process. The recent rounds of EU enlargement have stretched the operational capacity of the European Union to the maximum, triggering a debate on the final shape and borders of the Union and prompting the Member States to review the framework of primary law on the basis of the failed Constitutional Treaty.
This book explores legal options to reconcile the desire of EU Member States to deepen their cooperation in certain (new) policy fields with the commitments made towards today's candidate countries to widen the EU, once all membership conditions have been met. Seasoned academics shed light on the absorption capacity of the Union, the current state and future of the enlargement process, alternatives to full membership, new models of governance and cooperation in the EU, as well as the need to further integration in the sphere of the internal market and the fight against trans-border crime. This academic collection is a valuable contribution to the debate that the EU so much needs to reconcile its deepening and widening agendas.
Dr. Steven Blockmans is Senior Research Fellow in EU law and Deputy Head of Research at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut, The Hague, The Netherlands. Prof. Dr. Sacha Prechal is Professor of European Law at the Faculty of Law of Utrecht University and one of the directors of its Europa Institute.

Autorentext
Dr. Steven Blockmans is senior research fellow in EU law and deputy head of research at the T.M.C. Asser Institute, The Hague. Prof. Dr Sacha Prechal is professor of European Law at the faculty of law of Utrecht University and one of the directors of the Europa Instituut.

Inhalt
The European Integration Process: A Continuum of 'Deepening' and 'Widening'.- A Diagnosis of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice: Remedies and Reforms in the Domains of Immigration, Terrorism and Security.- 'Widening' vs. 'Deepening' The European Union: Free Movement vs. Social Rights in the Laval Case Before The ECJ*.- Consolidating the Enlargement Agenda for South Eastern Europe.- Box of Chocolates Integration: The European Economic area and the Swiss Model Revisited.- On The European Union's Institutional Capacity to Cope with Further Enlargement.- A Flexible Future for The European Union: The way Forward or a way Out?.- Widen to Deepen? The Potential and Limits of Accession Treaties to Achieve EU Constitutional Reform.- Keynote Speech.- Report of the Discussions.