The European Union and expansion – potential borders of the European Union

• Thesis title in English: The European Union and expansion – potential borders of the European Union
• Key words: EU, expansion, borders
• English key words: EU, expansion, borders
• Academic year of topic announcement: 2010/2011
• Thesis type: diploma thesis
• Thesis language: angličtina
• Department: Department of Political Science (23-KP)
• Supervisor: doc. Martin Riegl, Ph.D.
• Author: hidden - assigned by the advisor
• Date of registration: 02.06.2011
• Date of assignment: 12.05.2012
• Date and time of defence: 22.06.2015 00:00
• Venue of defence: IPS FSV UK, U kříže 8/661 158 00 Praha 5 – Jinonice
• Date of electronic submission: 15.05.2015
• Date of proceeded defence: 22.06.2015
• Opponents: PhDr. Mgr. et Mgr. Jakub Landovský, Ph.D.
• Advisors: doc. Martin Riegl, Ph.D.

Guidelines

The expansion of the European Union (EU) has always been a debated topic. Some countries have desired to be part of the European Union for all its advantages and status of the EU member state. There have been also countries which the EU has desired to incorporate into its revolutionary community. As of 2011 Croatia is close to its EU membership, Iceland is considering preparation for meeting all the acceptance criteria, and Turkey stays a long-term applicant. Even Caucasian countries, mainly Armenia, consider application in the future. The question remains; What is the possible territory the European Union can swallow, incorporate, and embrace?

Purpose of the master thesis:

The purpose of the master thesis is to identify the potential borders of the European Union, in other words how far could the EU expand its borders and territory.

Methodology:

1. A list of criteria will be chosen and introduced, based on which the current European standard will be based. These criteria are geography, culture, politics, religion, and economy.

2. The geographical scope of Europe will be analyzed.

3. The remaining criteria will be assessed based on the current situation in the EU. In other words, the culture, politics, economy, and religion of the current member states will be analyzed. The results will serve as standards for the current political, cultural, and religious borders of the EU.
a. Example of the analysis of the criteria
i. What are the political regimes in the current members?
ii. What are the major religions of the EU?
iii. What are the cultural norms of the EU society.

4. The conditions for the acceptance of a country, based on the EU treaties and acceptance policies and criteria will be analyzed, e.g. Copenhagen Criteria, Treaty on the European Union, etc.

5. A list of potential future members or countries interested in the EU membership will be specified. The list of the countries include the Balkan countries, Iceland, Turkey, Ukraine, Belorussia, Russia, Caucasian countries, and Morocco. (potentially Central Asian countries)

6. Each country will be analyzed based on its geography, culture, political situation, economic situation, and religion. After the analysis of the country’s situation based on the above criteria, the findings will be compared to the findings of the EU and the enlargement criteria. It will also undergo an analysis whether it meets EU accession criteria. The purpose of the comparison will be a decision whether the country, based on the mentioned criteria, could be a member of the EU and thus expand its borders.

7. The thesis will end with a conclusion summarizing which countries based on the chosen criteria and the criteria of the EU could join the European Union. Explanation will be given about why a country could or could not expand the EU. Finally, the potential effect of each new potential member state on the European Union will be analyzed. The paper will be finished with the answer what are the potential borders of the EU, based on the selected criteria.

Finally, the purpose of this paper is not to judge whether a country should be accepted into the EU. The purpose of the thesis is to analyze the geographical, cultural, political, economic, and religious scope of the EU and to show on the mentioned countries, whether they could be potentially part of the EU community based on comparison of the criteria of the EU and each individual member state.

References

Treaty on European Union. Official Journal of the European Union. Consolidated versions of the Treaty of European Union and of the Treaty Establishing the European Community. December 29, 2006. Retrieved May 23, 2011 from
<http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/ce321/ce32120061229en00010331.pdf>

Treaty of Rome
< http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/index.htm#founding >

Treaty of Nice <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/index.htm#founding>

Treaty of Amsterdam <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/index.htm#founding>

Treaty of Accession 2003 <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/index.htm#founding>

Treaty of Accession 2005 <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/index.htm#founding>

Legal Questions of Enlargement. European Parliament. May 19, 1998. Retrieved May 23, 2011 from <http://www.europarl.europa.eu/enlargement/briefings/23a2_en.htm>

Professor Borchardt, Klaus-Dieter. The ABC of European Law. Luxembourg: Publications office of the European Union. 2010. <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/editorial/abc_toc_r1.htm>

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council. Western Balkans: Enhancing the European Perspective. March 5, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2011 from
<http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/balkans_communication/western_balkans_communication_050308_en.pdf>

Kastoryano, Riva. Constellations: An International Journal of Critical & Democratic Theory; Jun2006, Vol. 13 Issue 2, p275-287, 13p. Retrieved March 12, 2011 from EBSCO database. SocINDEX with Full Text.

O'Dowd, Liam. Chapter 5: State borders,border regions and the construction of European identity. Will Europe Work?; 8/9/2001, p95-110, 16p. Retrieved May 12, 2011 from EBSCO database. SocINDEX with Full Text.

Houtum, Henk Van. INTERNATIONALISATION AND MENTAL BORDERS. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie (Journal of Economic & Social Geography); Aug99, Vol. 90 Issue 3, p329. Retrieved May 12, 2011 from EBSCO database. Academic Search Complete.

Anderson, James. O'Dowd, Liam. Borders, Border Regions and Territoriality: Contradictory Meanings, Changing Significance. Regional Studies; Oct99, Vol. 33 Issue 7, p593-604, 12p. Retrieved May 13, 2011 from EBSCO database. Borders, Border Regions and Territoriality: Contradictory Meanings, Changing Significance.

Krätke, Stefan. The Regional Impact of EU Eastern Enlargement: A View from Germany. European Planning Studies; Jul2002, Vol. 10 Issue 5, p651-664, 14p. Retrieved May 12, 2011 from EBSCO database. Academic Search Complete.

Kennard, Ann. Culture Shift on the Future Eastern Border of the EU. Perspectives on European Politics & Society; May2004, Vol. 5 Issue 1, p1-28. Retrieved May 11, 2011 from EBSCO database. Academic Search Complete.

van der Zweerde, Evert. PLURALITY IN UNITY": EUROPEAN IDENTITY AND EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP. Limes; 2009, Vol. 2 Issue 1, p5-25. Retrieved May 14, 2011 from EBSCO database. Academic Search Complete.

Zhurzhenko, Tatiana. Europeanizing the Ukrainian-Russian border: From EU Enlargement to the “Orange revolution. Debatte: Review of Contemporary German Affairs; Aug2005, Vol. 13 Issue 2, p137-154. Retrieved May 12, 2011 from EBSCO database. Academic Search Complete.

Szymański, Adam. The Position of Polish Political Elites on Future EU Enlargement. Journal of Communist Studies & Transition Politics; Dec2007, Vol. 23 Issue 4, p548-560. Retrieved May 11, 2011 from EBSCO database. Academic Search Complete.

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Fuchs, Dieter. Klingemann, Hans-Dieter. Eastward Enlargement of the European Union and the Identity of Europe. West European Politics; Apr2002, Vol. 25 Issue 2, p19, 36p. Retrieved May 12, 2011 from EBSCO database. Academic Search Complete.

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Preliminary scope of work

1. Introduction

2. Explanation of the purpose of the paper and the methodology used


3. Chapter 1 – Analysis of the geographical scope of the European continent and thus potential borders of the European Union based on geography

4. Chapter 2 – Analysis of the accession and enlargement criteria based on the Treaties of the European Union (Treaty of Rome, Treaty on European Union, Treaty of Nice, etc.)

5. Chapter 3 – Analysis of the cultural, political, economic, and religious aspects of the current EU and its member states will be analyzed in order to established the current standard of the EU

6. Chapter 4 – Identification of all future potential member states which will be analyzed

7. Chapter 5 – The analysis of the identified individual future potential member states based on the specified criteria. E.g.:

a. Turkey
i. Analysis of its culture
ii. Analysis of its economic situation
iii. Analysis of its current political situation and potential development
iv. Analysis of religion in the country
v. Summary of the country and the current situation
vi. Comparison of the summary of Turkey to the current analyzed standards of the EU (Chapter 3)
vii. Comparison of geography of Turkey to the geography of EU (Chapter 1)
viii. Comparison of the summary of Turkey to the EU accession criteria (Chapter 2)
ix. Answer – based on which criteria Turkey potentially could or could not join the EU
x. Potential effects of the country’s EU membership on EU

8. Chapter 6 – Which country could/could not join and the criteria. Potential outlook based on which country will/will not probably join and the reasons

9. Conclusion

10. Bibliography

Preliminary scope of work in English

1. Introduction

2. Explanation of the purpose of the paper and the methodology used


3. Chapter 1 – Analysis of the geographical scope of the European continent and thus potential borders of the European Union based on geography

4. Chapter 2 – Analysis of the accession and enlargement criteria based on the Treaties of the European Union (Treaty of Rome, Treaty on European Union, Treaty of Nice, etc.)

5. Chapter 3 – Analysis of the cultural, political, economic, and religious aspects of the current EU and its member states will be analyzed in order to established the current standard of the EU

6. Chapter 4 – Identification of all future potential member states which will be analyzed

7. Chapter 5 – The analysis of the identified individual future potential member states based on the specified criteria. E.g.:

a. Turkey
i. Analysis of its culture
ii. Analysis of its economic situation
iii. Analysis of its current political situation and potential development
iv. Analysis of religion in the country
v. Summary of the country and the current situation
vi. Comparison of the summary of Turkey to the current analyzed standards of the EU (Chapter 3)
vii. Comparison of geography of Turkey to the geography of EU (Chapter 1)
viii. Comparison of the summary of Turkey to the EU accession criteria (Chapter 2)
ix. Answer – based on which criteria Turkey potentially could or could not join the EU
x. Potential effects of the country’s EU membership on EU

8. Chapter 6 – Which country could/could not join and the criteria. Potential outlook based on which country will/will not probably join and the reasons

9. Conclusion

10. Bibliography