CONDIŢIONALITATEA ÎN PROCESUL DE EXTINDERE A UNIUNII EUROPENE: ÎNTRE IMPERATIVE GEOPOLITICE ŞI IREVERSIBILITATEA EXIGENŢELOR JURIDICE
CONDITIONALITY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION ENLARGEMENT PROCESS: BETWEEN GEOPOLITICAL IMPERATIVES AND THE IRREVERSIBILITY OF LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses the conditionality regime applied in the enlargement process of the European Union (EU), focusing on recent developments triggered by the accelerated accession of the Republic of Moldova. In the context of a new geopolitical wave caused by Russia's aggression against Ukraine, EU enlargement has regained value as a tool for regional stability. However, this evolution has not led to a relaxation of conditionality, but rather to a reaffirmation of core requirements relating to the rule of law, democratic governance, and judicial independence. The paper undertakes a comparative examination of the EU’s differentiated approach to the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova, highlighting divergences in pace, methodology, and political pragmatism. The article argues that, despite the procedural acceleration and selective methodological adjustments, the conditionality regime remains fundamentally strict, with core legal standards reaffirmed as the backbone of the EU’s enlargement strategy. In this context, the article argues that any compromise in the enforcement of conditionality risks undermining the credibility and long-term sustainability of enlargement as both a political and legal project of the Union.

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