Danijela Lakić, LLD^*

THE INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTS OF THE EU ENLARGEMENT PROCESS

Summary

This paper analyzes the impact of the enlargement process, that is, the increase of the members of the European Union on the Council, the European Council, the Commission and the European Parliament, the institutions that create and implement the enlargement policy. Although the institutional framework has not changed significantly since the beginning of the integration process, the constant increase of members, from the initial six to today’s twenty-eight, has required the adjustment of institutions. The basic institutional problems in the previous enlargements have been the possible obstruction of work of the institutions, the change in their composition and operation, and the issue of institutional efficiency. The biggest challenge for the EU institutions presented Eastern enlargement in 2004/2007, when twelve countries acceded. The basic thesis of the paper is that the enlargement process does not adversely affect the institutional framework of the Union, provided that the enlargement is preceded by the institutional reform.

Key words: EU enlargement, the Council, the European Council, the European commission, the European Parliament

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^* Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law, University „Slobomir P“, Bijeljina, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegowina.