Contradictory Assessments and Interpretations to the Ongoing Discussion on Flexible Integration in Romania
Contradictory Assessments and Interpretations to the Ongoing Discussion on Flexible Integration in Romania

Author(s): Georgiana Ciceo
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, International relations/trade, EU-Accession / EU-DEvelopment
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: Future of Europe; Flexible Integration; Hard Core; Variable Geometry
Summary/Abstract: The discussion on flexible/differentiated integration is far from novel being able at times to surge up on the European Union agenda. During the past few years the economic crisis, the migrant crisis and more recently the BREXIT have brought to the fore a number of cleavages that now threaten the unity of Europe. It became more than evident that a thorough discussion on the future of Europe is now more than ever required. Ever since an obvious preference for flexible integration has marked the discussions. Against this background the Member States of the European Union have attempted to position themselves in order to either avoid being relegated to a second class statute or dismiss the possibility that without deeper political and economic integration European Union might fall apart. As the whole discussion on a future more flexible Europe has revolved around a deeper Eurozone integration, the countries outside this core have found themselves faced with a number of challenges that need to be addressed. The present article attempts to shed light on the particular situation of those Central European states which are not part of the Eurozone with a particular emphasis on Romania, who is seemingly still not ready for this, but willing to support deeper integration.

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