Koller, B., Arató, K.: Dysfunctional advocates? analysis of the Visegrad Group positions on the enlargement policy of the EU (2014–2025)

Baller Zsófia — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 09:57:51 +0000

Dysfunctional advocates? analysis of the Visegrad Group positions on the enlargement policy of the EU (2014–2025)

Authors: Boglárka Koller and Krisztina Arató

In: Comparative Eurpoean Politics (2025)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41295-025-00427-6

Abstract

The Visegrad Group (V4), a unique subregional cooperation within the European Union, has experienced a negative shift following the Russian aggression in Ukraine. The Russian aggression in Ukraine also triggered another development in the EU. Enlargement has been halted since 2013 and has become the centre of attention again. The official candidate status was granted swiftly to Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, which also put the Western Balkans’ future in the spotlight. This article aims to interpret the four Visegrad states’ positions on the EU’s enlargement policy and alterations in these by looking for explanatory causes in the 2014–2025 period. Enlargement is of high relevance in the region, not only because of the V4 countries’ accession to the EU twenty years ago and of its complex, sometimes conflictual interactions with the EU institutions since then but also because the candidate countries are located in the immediate neighbourhood of the V4 region, that brings the geopolitical aspects of the policy in the spotlight. After conceptualizing the V4, process tracing methodology is applied to answer the question of the V4 states’ view and influence on the enlargement policy of the EU. This article aims not to determine the future perspectives of the European Union’s overall enlargement policy but to focus solely on the Visegrad countries. Still, the conclusions of this article can contribute to the general understanding of the debates on the future of enlargement.

A Koller, B., Arató, K.: Dysfunctional advocates? analysis of the Visegrad Group positions on the enlargement policy of the EU (2014–2025) bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Czina, V., Szigetvári, T., Túry, G.: Enlargement at All Costs? A View from Hungary

tury.g — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 09:51:01 +0000

Enlargement at All Costs? A View from Hungary

Authors: Veronika Czina, Tamás Szigetvári, Gábor Túry

In: Kaeding, M., Pollak, J., Schmidt, P. (eds) Enlargement and the Future of Europe. Springer, Cham, (2023). pp. 55-59.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43234-7_13

Abstract

The current Hungarian foreign policy is committed to the integration of the Western Balkan countries and has been supportive in this regard ever since the country first gained European Union (EU) Membership in 2004. Hungary borders the Western Balkans and hence the region’s stability is crucial in both political and economic senses. However, compared to its previous strategy, the EU is now more cautious, preferring a stricter conditionality and slower accession for (potential) candidate countries. By contrast, Hungary is keen to speed up enlargement and would not only want to accelerate the process, but would also prefer to ease accession conditions. Nevertheless, it is recognised that rapid enlargement could undermine the entire European integration project’s internal cohesion and thus do more harm than good.

A Czina, V., Szigetvári, T., Túry, G.: Enlargement at All Costs? A View from Hungary bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Enlargement Archívum - VGI

Koller, B., Arató, K.: Dysfunctional advocates? analysis of the Visegrad Group positions on the enlargement policy of the EU (2014–2025)

Dysfunctional advocates? analysis of the Visegrad Group positions on the enlargement policy of the EU (2014–2025)

Abstract

Czina, V., Szigetvári, T., Túry, G.: Enlargement at All Costs? A View from Hungary

Enlargement at All Costs? A View from Hungary

Abstract