Preparing for an enlarged EU: Cities, regions and the debate on EU reforms

• Strategic Importance of Enlargement: The debate on EU enlargement and reform is highly relevant due to current geopolitical instability. There is renewed urgency to treat enlargement as a strategic priority for the EU.
• Territorial and Local Dimensions: Enlargement’s territorial implications must be considered. Cities, regions, and the Committee of the Regions (CoR) play a crucial role in raising awareness among EU citizens and fostering cooperation with local/regional authorities in partner countries.
• Economic and Institutional Drivers: Research shows enlargement has driven economic growth, innovation, and increased the EU’s global influence. Key drivers include trade, investment, institutional quality, and structural funds.
• Preparation for Enlargement: The EU should prepare by:
1. Conducting pre-enlargement policy reviews,
2. Empowering local/regional authorities (LRAs) with strong governance and coordination,
3. Continuing research on trade integration, governance, and policy design.
• Adapting to “Perma-Change”: To remain relevant in a period of constant crisis (“perma-crisis”), the EU should embrace ongoing change (“perma-change”) by upgrading its operations and expanding alliances.
• Twin Challenges: Enlargement & Reform: Enlargement and internal reforms are parallel imperatives. The best approach is gradual reform, paired with either a “big-bang” or gradual enlargement.
• Policy Areas Under Strain: Enlargement could strain cohesion and CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). Other areas needing attention include the EU budget, competitiveness, security, defense, and post-war reconstruction.
• Roadmap and Governance:
o An EU enlargement roadmap should be linked to a dynamic reform plan, with clear stages, timelines, and resources.
o An independent authority should draft a governance report to break deadlocks and build support.
o Deeper institutional cooperation among select Member States may be needed for critical issues.
o A citizens’ panel could contribute to the process.
• Role of CoR and LRAs: The CoR and LRAs should be embedded in the process, possibly through a dedicated forum. The CoR should advocate for the governance report and the roadmap, and contribute via evidence-based reports, dialogues, twinning, cooperation projects, and rule of law initiatives.
• Public Perception:
o Recent Eurobarometer surveys show 56% of EU citizens support further enlargement.
o Perceived benefits: stronger global influence, larger market, more jobs, greater solidarity/security.
o Main concerns: migration, corruption, crime, and financial costs.
o A Sli.Do poll among the participants in the workshop confirmed these findings, and added among the concerns also potential increased inequalities between EU regions.
• Conclusion: Enlargement and reform are deeply intertwined and must be approached strategically, acknowledging their complexity and multidimensional nature and building a solid narrative to embrace them.