European Union Enlargement and External Relations

Syllabus

1. Introduction into EC/EU enlargement and terminology in the context of EC/EU external relations (external relations of the EC/EU, accession criteria, European Neighbourhood Policy). 2. First EC Enlargement (1973, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ireland, Denmark) – background and integration status quo in the context of EC external relations. 3. Second EC Enlargement (1981, Greece) – background and integration status quo in the context of EC external relations. 4. Third EC Enlargement (1986, Spain, Portugal) – background and integration status quo in the context of EC external relations. 5. Fourth EU Enlargement (1995, Austria, Finland, Sweden) – background and integration status quo in the context of EU external relations. 6. Fifth EU Enlargement (2004, 2007, countries of Central and Eastern Europe, Cyprus, Malta) – background and integration status quo in the context of EU external relations. 7. Sixth EU Enlargement (2013, Croatia) – background and integration status quo in the context of EU external relations. 8. Candidate countries in the context of indexes relevant to accession criteria and the European Union. 9. Potential candidate countries in the context of indexes relevant to accession criteria and the European Union. 10. Brexit as a precedent of disintegration in the EU, withdrawal from the EU. 11. Alternatives to EC/EU Enlargement in the European and Eurasian context. 12. The European Union and Eager Integrators – spectrum of views and interpretations. 13. The European Union and Reserved Integrators – spectrum of views and interpretations.