Twenty years after the eastward enlargement of the EU, the former Commissioner Gunter Verheugen gives his account to DW, while also commenting on the developments in Ukraine.

Gunder Verheugen called the simultaneous accession of ten countries from Eastern and Southern Europe to the EU in 2004 a “small miracle”. Speaking to DW today, the German politician explains: “The greatest effort had to be made by those who had just shaken off a communist dictatorship and were looking for their place in a united Europe. What was required was not only the great social transformation after the collapse of the old system in the period 1989-90, but also the adoption of the particularly complicated European law”.

At the same time, says the former Commissioner, enlargement was a huge challenge for the 15 old member states, which “managed to show the necessary unity and determination to complete such a large undertaking in such a short period of time. In the situation the EU is in today, it would not have succeeded…”.

“Would it be better without Expansion?”

Günter Verheugen, leader of the Social Democrats of Germany (SPD) and formerly of the Liberals (FDP), had held the Enlargement portfolio in Romano Prodi’s Commission since 1999. He still remembers the strong objections heard in the old member states to the simultaneous accession of ten countries with diverse origins and historical starting points. The concern about the economic burden of the Enlargement was also strong.

But “the main issue was to make the peaceful revolution in Central and Eastern Europe irreversible. To ensure that this vast geographical area between the Baltic and the Black Sea does not become a neutral zone, an area of ​​instability and insecurity.” And indeed, says Günter Verheugen, “if we look at the current situation in Europe, it is worth asking: What would have happened if the integration of Central and Eastern Europe had failed? Would it have been better? No way…”

European cohesion is called for

Observing today’s Europe, the former Commissioner emphasizes the fact that the cohesion that prevailed in the 90s has disappeared, the common goal-setting, “the determination to do something big…” But he hastens to clarify: “The news is not responsible for this member states. A wave of nationalism and populism is manifesting itself in almost all member states, which invents and peddles anti-European stereotypes. Perhaps we haven’t even seen its peak yet. Personally, I am particularly worried about the unity of Europe.”

Are the negotiations with Kiev “symbolic”?

Also of interest are Verheugen’s observations on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the looming European perspective of Kiev. The former Commissioner describes as “encouraging” the fact that all European countries coincide in condemning Moscow’s war of aggression, but at the same time points out that “if we examine the situation more closely, we will see that there are differences in the way this conflict is evaluated. It all starts with the question: Is it right to treat Russia as an eternal enemy, which is never going to change? Or to think that in the long term we have to find a way to coexist on this continent?”

Regarding the start of accession negotiations with Ukraine, Gunder Verheugen says that he feels “somewhat surprised” by the relevant decision of the European Council. “I can’t imagine how that would happen,” he says. “How can European law be applied in wartime and with the law of war in force. And above all, how can the European Commission and the member states check if this is actually the case. That is why I believe that, at the moment, it is rather a symbolic action, a sign of solidarity. However, we should not raise expectations that it will materialize soon. I am thinking of the case of Turkey, which had been granted candidate country status since 1999 and negotiations started in 2005, but they went nowhere. On the contrary, we have probably lost Turkey for Europe.” It is noted that in 2004 Gunder Verheugen expressed his satisfaction with what Turkey “has achieved” in its attempt to join the EU.

The next “round of enlargement”, with the integration of the Western Balkans, remains on the agenda of the Europeans, at least in theory. And these countries have been promised EU membership since the 1990s, but Gunter Verheugen warns that “reforms are needed in our institutional structure before the next big ‘enlargement round’.” They cannot operate with 37 member states or even more. Can you imagine a Commission with 37 Commissioners, including seven from the former Yugoslavia and one from France? I very much doubt that such a thing would be accepted…”

Edited by: Yiannis Papadimitriou