Context: Recently, Kosovo secured visa-free access to the Schengen zone in Europe, world’s largest zone of free movement, becoming the last western Balkan non-European Union nation to waive visa requirements.
The zone is known after Schengen, the tiny Luxembourg village bordering France and Germany, where the agreement was signed in 1985.
Croatia, a European Union (EU) member since 2013, joined Schengen in 2023, while Romania and Bulgaria, EU members since 2007, will gain partial Schengen entry in March.
Obstacle that Kosovo faced?
- The single biggest obstacle to the country’s Schengen visa waiver was strong opposition from several EU members, which do not recognise the 2008 unilateral declaration of independence by the breakaway state from Serbia.
- Kosovo has not been accorded legal statehood by the UN and denied recognition by Russia and China.
Does Schengen have only the members of the EU under it?
- The Schengen area comprises 27 countries, including four non-EU members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Norway.
- Also there is no requirement for the EU members to mandatorily become a member of Schengen.
About European Union (EU)
- European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe.
- EU was established, along with its citizenship when the Maastricht Treaty came into force in 1993
Maastricht Treaty
- Treaty on European Union is signed in Maastricht in the Netherlands. It is a major milestone, setting clear rules for the future single currency as well as for foreign and security policy and closer cooperation in justice and home affairs.
- ‘European Union was officially created by the treaty, which entered into force on 1 November 1993.
Decision making setup in European Union
There are 4 main decision-making institutions which lead the EU’s administration. These institutions collectively provide the EU with policy direction and play different roles in the law-making process:
- the European Parliament (Brussels/Strasbourg/Luxembourg)
- the European Council (Brussels)
- the Council of the European Union (Brussels/Luxembourg)
- the European Commission (Brussels/Luxembourg/Representations across the EU)
EU - BUDGET
The EU budget is financed from the following sources
- a proportion of each country’s gross national income (GNI) in line with how wealthy they are
- customs duties on imports from outside the EU
- a small part of the value added tax collected by each EU country
- starting in 2021, a contribution based on the amount of non-recycled plastic packaging waste in each country
- other revenue, including contributions from non-EU countries to certain programmes, interest on late payments and fines, as well as any surplus from the previous year
Spending
- The EU budget is mainly dedicated to investment. For this reason, the EU adopts long-term spending plans, known as multiannual financial frameworks (MFFs), that run for a period of 5-7 years.
- The EU budget finances activities that range from developing rural areas and conserving the environment to protecting external borders and promoting human rights
- The budget helps EU economies to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. The Commission, the Council and the Parliament all have a say in determining the size of the budget and how it is allocated
How big is the EU economy?
The European Union operates as a single market made up of 27 countries.
Trade
The EU27 accounts for around 14% of the world’s trade in goods.
What is enlargement?
Enlargement happens when new countries join the European Union. This has taken place several times in the EU’s history, each time transforming both the EU and the countries that join.
Which countries can join?
Any European country can join the EU if it fulfils the membership criteria, also known as the Copenhagen criteria.
For the countries that are wishing to join must have
- stable institutions that can guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities.
- a functioning market economy and the ability to cope with the competitive pressure of the EU market.
- the ability to take on the obligations of EU membership, including the capacity to implement all EU law and adhere to the aims of the Union.
Admission of New Members to EU
Step 1: Candidacy
- A country wishing to join the EU must submit a membership application to the Council of the EU
- The Council then asks the European Commission to check the applicant country’s ability to fulfil the membership criteria.
- Based on the Commission's recommendations, the Council decides whether to grant the country candidate status and to begin formal negotiations for its accession to the Union.
- All EU Member States must agree on this decision.
Step 2: Membership negotiations
- During membership negotiations, the candidate country prepares to implement EU laws and standards, also known as the acquis.
- The Commission monitors the candidate's progress on these reforms and keeps the Council and European Parliament informed of this through regular reports and communications.
Step 3: Accession
- Once the negotiations are complete, the Commission gives its opinion on whether the candidate is ready to become a Member State. If the Commission recommends that the candidate is ready, an accession treaty is prepared.
- The European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament before being signed and ratified by all EU Member States and the candidate country.