From the way the media reports on European Union negotiations, it is easy to get the impression that there is a rift between East and West European member states, and that the enlargement of the EU has compromised the EU’s decision-making capacity. In a text published at the EUROPP blog, I argue that there is no systematic evidence to support such claims: “…in fact, against all odds, since 2004 the EU has managed to accommodate and integrate without much turbulence 13 new member states within its decision-making structures. This success is most remarkable and provides an important lesson for the future; a lesson that should not be overshadowed by the forthcoming exit of the United Kingdom from the EU.” Read the whole thing; it has pretty pictures, too.
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