The new methodology of enlargement and its potential effects on Kosovo : a difficult balance between politicization and credibility?

Abstract

The recent EU enlargement methodology, announced in February 2020, arguably aims to make the process more reliable and credible, but also more political. This paper identifies the main trends that characterise the new methodology and analyses whether and to what extent the revised rules have indeed balanced between the EU seemingly diverse goals to ensure better delivery of reform while allowing member countries more room to participate and potentially obstacle the process of decision-making. The analysis centres on the following question: how the different goals of the revised EU enlargement methodology play out in the specific case of Kosovo, a country that faces multiple challenges, faced with this new context where the state of reforms call for better monitoring, while member states’ individual concerns shape a more 10 politicized approach to enlargement? To tackle these aspects, the empirical part of the analysis draws on a range of first sources - relevant EU documents and semi-structured interviews with experts and diplomats working on Kosovo. In the conclusions, the paper shows how the new rules are expected to work in the context of weak state in Kosovo, highlighting in particular: the bilateral issues and nonrecognizers’ attitudes, which relate to increasing politicization; expectations on better monitoring and waning EU credibility. Experts advanced the idea that that the ‘meritocratic approach’ and especially the phenomena of politicization in the new enlargement methodology risks empowering both EU member states and local leaders to further avoid responsibility and commitment, not the other way around.