Research Papers

The paper examines the conduct and outcome of Croatia’s accession negotiations with the European Union in the light of the negotiations that led to the 2004 enlargement and more specifically the 2007 enlargement to include Bulgaria and Romania. The paper addresses two particular issues: the role of conditionality in determining the sequencing, progress and ultimately the closure of the negotiations; and the impact on the terms of accession of the experience of post-negotiation/pre-accession monitoring of Bulgaria and Romania. A further section of the paper examines the precedents created by Croatia’s terms of accession and the implications of these and the Croatian experience of negotiating accession for future accession negotiations.