Conclusion

Abstract

The two most widely employed concepts in the framing of the debates about EU enlargement and European integration are ‘Europeanization’ and ‘conditionality’. Yet, both concepts are employed rather nebulously and lack coherent explanatory frameworks. The term ‘Europeanization’ has been stretched to encapsulate phenomena beyond its original locus in the framework of EU policy-making to emphasize how European norms, structures and policies filter into domestic politics. The evidence with regard to the resulting systemic convergence remains, however, inconclusive. The concept suggests that greater connectedness to EU activities not only provides incentives and advantages in domestic level political games by promoting ‘differential empowerment’ but also progresses normative assimilation and the collective embrace of a ‘European’ identity. In the context of EU enlargement, both policymakers and policy analysts generally view conditionality as the primary mechanism of Europeanization. Broadly, the use of the term ‘EU conditionality’ assumes that there is a power asymmetry between the actor setting and enforcing the conditions and the actor that must comply. The term ‘conditionality’ implies a consensus on rules and their transmission mechanisms within the EU, with clear-cut benchmarks, and consistency and continuity in the transfer of rules over time.