Qui a peur de l’élargissement ?
Thierry Vissol
A large majority (61%) of the citizens of the ten accession countries do
support the entrance of their nation into the European Union, to be compared to a
smaller majority (51%) among EU member countries. Such support somewhat hides
many fears as expressed in the opinion polls or in the low turnout during the accession
referenda. This article summarizes and challenges these fears. European history since
World War II as well as the history of the previous enlargements to include rather poor
countries demonstrate that on the economic and monetary side a rather rapid and
successful catch-up process can be expected, helped by the structural reforms that
were quickly and firmly introduced into the « Ten», monitored by the European Commission. On the political side, there is no evidence that the citizen and their governments
would be less European than those of the « old» Europe. Nevertheless progress toward
a political union may be rendered more difficult if coherent institutional reforms are not
introduced within the EU. It may be that the main challenge of the EU will not be
enlargement, but transatlantic relations. The American unilateralism, if pursued, would
certainly require a rapid economic catch up of the « Ten», as well as their full participation in the Euro to strengthen the European voice in the world.Keywords :
enlargement, economic and political fears, euro, Marshall Plan, cohesion funds, American hegemony.
• 1 AVANTAGES, DOUTES, INCERTITUDES ET
MENACES
— (i) Les menaces économiques
— (ii) Les menaces politiques
— (iii) Les menaces géopolitiques
— (iv) Les menaces vues du côté des nouveaux adhérents
• 2 FAUT-IL AVOIR PEUR DU RELATIF SOUS-DÉVELOPPEMENT DES NOUVEAUX ADHÉRENTS ?
— (i) Du Plan Marshall à la Communauté économique
européenne
— (ii) L’évolution des pays de la « cohésion »
— (iii) L’état de la gouvernance
• 3 LES FUTURS ÉTATS MEMBRES SONT-ILS MOINS
EUROPÉENS ?
• 4. LES CRAINTES TRANSATLANTIQUES : VERS
UN NOUVEAU MONDE BIPOLAIRE ?
• CONCLUSION
• RÉFÉRENCES