Analysis Assignment of Conditions for EU Membership (Essay Sample)

Comenius University in Bratislava
Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences
Institute of European Studies and International Relations
Democratic Consolidation is the essential perquisite for accession to the EU
Subject: EU Enlargement and Democratic Consolidation Winter Semester 2015/2016
Student: Bc. Danilo Hinic MA2
Introduction
In this essay we will show that democratic consolidation is a main and essential perquisite for EU membership and why it is like that. We know since founding of European Community democracy was present as its founding members were consolidated democracies already. Later accepting Greece, Spain and Portugal was also thanks to their democratic consolidation. In this essay we will try to prove that democratic consolidation is main requirement for joining EU. As defined in Copenhagen criteria liberal democracy, free market and rule of law are main requirements for joining EU. But here we will stick to democratic consolidation as main requirement of EU for membership and show that with democratic consolidation comes turn of all other provisions of Copenhagen criteria. Firstly we will show how it appears to be main perquisite for joining EU. As first indicator of essentiality of democracy for joining EU will be how EU in its documents emphasizes on democracy as important value. Second indicator that democratic consolidation is essential perquisite for joining EU will be that it appears to be main condition for interested states and level of their progressing towards EU highly depends on level of their democratic consolidation. We will show how EU emphasizes in its documents on importance of democratic consolidation and functioning democratic institutions for interested state to become member. We will show how EU follows and writes in reports their progressing towards consolidated democracy and according to that determines their further progressing towards EU. We will show that without proper democratic consolidation EU doesn’t want to start any negotiations and allow membership until country doesn’t democratize fully according to EUs criteria. On specific examples of Central/Eastern European and Western Balkan countries we will show how EU conditioned them firstly to consolidate their democratic systems in order to get aid, potential candidate status and further negotiations and getting membership finally. We will present how their progressing in democratic consolidation was moving them closer towards EU We see how EU membership is allowed only when EU was satisfied with democratization in these countries. We will show that only with satisfiying criteria for democratization set by EU progress was possible towards membership. That will be clear cases how democratic consolidation appears to be main perquisite for joining EU. Both emphasizing on democracy as important value in EU documents and putting functioning democracy as main precondition for moving towards EU is supposed to show that it is essential perquisite for joining EU. At the same time we will try to answer on question why it appears to be main precondition for EU membership. We will try to answer it with idea that probably it is main perquisite as with democratic consolidation all other criteria can be easier achieved that are related to rule of law, human rights and free market, what will help us to tell why it is so important. That is supposed to help us understand and prove that EUs essential perquisite for membership is democratic consolidation.
Attention and emphasizing on democracy as one of main values.
Before approaching analysis of particular cases of Central and Eastern Europe and Western Balkans we will show how EU generally emphasizes on importance of liberal democracy what will show us that how democratic consolidation appears to be main perquisite for EU membership. This will help us to understand how it appears that democracy is essential precondition for joining EU.
Firstly indicator of essentiality of democratic consolidation as a perquisite will be devoted attention to democracy in EUs documents and its significance for EU. It appears that democracy is main value of EU and norm. Democracy same as free trade and human rights are among main values that are defined in EUs treaties such as Treaty of Lisbon for example. For EU itself democracy appears one of core of its values. How much EU devotes attention in its documents is best seen in Lisbon Treaty which was adopted in 2009 where is emphasized much on functioning of democracy within EU. ( TFEU, 2009) As all EU member states are consolidated democracies in latest Treaty they attempted to improve democracy as much as possible and reduce its deficit. It was done with increasing role of EU citizens in participating in EU Parliament elections and increasing role of EU Parliament in legislature. (Democracy reporting, 2013) Also importance of democracy for EU is visible in its foreign policy. For example through External Action Service and Strategic Framework for Human Rights and Democracy which are supposed to promote democracy abroad.( Dover in Cini, 2010) Also in Article 3 of TEU is stated that one of EUs values that should be promoted is democracy. (TEU, 1992) From this we see how important is democracy for EU both internally and externally. This helps us to understand how essential is democratic consolidation for EU membership. Since we saw how in EUs documents how attention is paid on democracy we see that democracy is of crucial importance for EU we can understand how it appears to be essential condition for membership. Now we can approach next part about consolidation as crucial requirement for membership.
As one of main conditions for membership
In this part we will show how democratic consolidation appears to be essential perquisite for joining EU in terms that EU sets it as one of main conditions for membership. Firstly from TEU is visible that democratic consolidation appears to be major and crucial condition for joining EU. It is stated there that any country interested in membership must respect democracy and promote it. ( Europa.Eu, 2015) In Copenhagen Criteria first is political condition for EU membership and that one is that country must be consolidated liberal democracy. (Europa.EU, 2015) How significant appears to be democratic consolidation as a condition for EU membership is visible in these sentences mentioned above.
Important indicator that shows how significant perquisite is democratic consolidation for EU is how EU systematically and organized approaches to democratic consolidation as condition for membership. Firstly is visible in EUs strictness when it comes about democratic consolidation visible in TFEU as there is stated that there cant be any discussion about EU membership with a state that doesn’t respect democratic values also that any member state can be derived for membership in case of failure to respect them. ( Europa.EU, 2015) Shortly any talks about joining EU wont be started if country isn’t consolidated democracy. ( Europa. Eu, 2007) It means that without fulfilling this aspect of Copenhagen criteria any negotiations on accession wont be opened. ( Europa.Eu, 2007) First aspect of such procedure is conditioning to comply with EU standards and rules. ( Europa. EU, 2015) While approval of EU institutions and member states and citizens will to join EU remains after first point about complying with EUs standards. ( Europa.EU,2015) This shows us how important appears to be condition of democratic consolidation as it appears to be one of main EU standards to be respected. As we already mentioned one of main values is democracy so when we speak about standards and rules we should take into account democratic consolidation for sure as it is emphasized that democracy must be respected. In Copenhagen Criteria democratic consolidation is defined as first condition( political condition) before other such as economic and rule of law condition. ( Europa.EU, 2007) It shows how democratic consolidation is part of crucial framework in joining EU. It is not just mentioned as necessary part of political criteria it is clearly stated there must be stable and functioning state institutions that will guarantee and maintain consolidated democratic system. ( Europa. Eu, 2007) It is visible that EU has clear vision how democracy should be guaranteed. EU has systematized idea about how institutions should be reformed and how to function to provide and preserve democracy. Another aspect that shows how systematically EU is concerned about democratization of country that wants to join EU is following countries progress in democratization process. Here is very important opinion of Commission which supervises countries progress in fulfilling conditions for membership among which main one appears to be democratization. This shows that consolidation is main condition in accession process and it means that democratic consolidation appears to be essential criteria for joining EU.
Now we are see on specific cases how EU tracks progress in democratic consolidation in potential candidate and candidate countries which want to join EU. It will best show us in practice how EU follows how countries are fulfilling one of its main criterias. Best example can be post-communist countries of Central Europe, Baltic States and Western Balkan. Those countries had communist single party regimes for decades such as Yugoslavia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and others…So after fall of their regimes they were interested in joining EU but they had to fulfill some Copenhagen criteria. But until they didn’t consolidate their democracy there were no single talks on joining EU. So progress in their democratic consolidation determined how close or far they were in accession to EU. European Commission was assessing their efforts and progress and giving report ...