Europe Moves Eastward: Beyond the New Borders

A border of development, not one of ‘civilization’ divides the European continent in two uneven halves, which have become all the more visible after the Big Bang enlargement This paper discussesâ ‘Wider Europe’, the Europe beyond the current Schengen borders. As the European identity is fuzzy and the European Union borders a combination of haphazard and necessity, notably the need to keep protect wealthy Europe from poor Europe, turning the current border into a new wall would be a mistake. Unlike the countries in the first wave of enlargement, Wider Europe countries are still struggling with weak states and unfinished transitions. More creative policies than just the conditionality based enlargement as usual will be needed to make wider Europe catch up, but the project may prove more realistic and worthwhile than furthering the political integration of the current members. The paper argues therefore that no border should be set for Europe, and enlargement should continue as long as EuropeÕs power as an emulator is not yet exhausted.