EU Enlargement, Region Building and Shifting Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

Book excerpt: The 2004 entry of 10 Central and Eastern European countries, along with Malta and Cyprus, into the EU has caused a huge shift in the EU's external boundaries. The socio-economic and political transformations that this shift has caused not only suggest new regional development opportunities, but also many potential problems and tensions. While the EU insists that enlargement will not signify 'new divisions', processes of inclusion and exclusion and the imposition of visa restrictions on non-EU citizens could pose obstacles to co-operation, conjuring fears of an emerging 'fortress Europe' that effectively divides the continent. Illustrated with case studies from Central and Eastern European border areas, this book examines capacities for region building across national borders in within the context of EU enlargement, synthesizing the various insights provided by local information and suggesting ways forward for the future development of the EU's 'Wider Europe' strategy.