Synopsis:
This article explains diverse pressures on the European Commission regarding how to enlarge the European Union (EU). As the EU's watchdog, the European Commission should finish before October 13th its annual assessment of the 12 countries accepted as applicants to join the EU. As the EU's governments favor a more strategic view of enlargement, however, it seems difficult for the European Commission to rely on objective criteria to judge the candidates for the membership. Another challenge the European Commission faces is to make decisions regarding whether to recommend fixing a firm date for at least the first accessions, which should consider the contrasting views of the EU's leaders and the candidates.

Full-text Article: http://www.economist.com/editorial/justforyou/19991002/index_eu5940.html

Text connection:
Chapter 8 "Regional Economic Integration" (pp.237-247).