La légitimité des institutions européennes : l'impact de l'élargissement sur le déficit démocratique de l'Union européenne

The necessary fifth enlargement of the European Union, of an unmatched dimension, with low GDP per head countries still in transition from centrally planed economies to market economies, is a real challenge for the EU. This challenge is increased by the present institutional, political and budgetary weaknesses of the EU. This paper assesses briefly the necessary changes in the present policies and the essential reforms of the institutions to respond to the challenge. The main structural policies (Agriculture and structural funds) must be made more efficient and the European Budget has to be increased. New policies, particularly social and dealing with immigration, international criminality, have to be created. The institutional reforms pass through a Constitution that must define in simple terms the vision of the future that the EU wants, based on its common values, clarify and simplify the functioning of the Institutions as well as fix the EU boundaries. The latter will permit to define a proper policy toward the EU new and old neighbors. But, the EU will not progress without opening the possibility to those members who so would like, to move further and quicker.