The EU Western Balkans Enlargement: The Role of the EU-OSCE Political Cooperation in the Field of the Rule of Law in Countries Preparing for the EU accession
The EU Western Balkans Enlargement: The Role of the EU-OSCE Political Cooperation in the Field of the Rule of Law in Countries Preparing for the EU accession

Summary/Abstract: The European Union was formed to be a ‘community of law’ that promotes a substantive understanding and respect of the rule of law, which is an essential tool for the protection of all fundamental values that are listed in the treaties, including principles of democracy and human rights. The process of enlargement is often referred to as European integration. Enlargement and rule of law are two inseparable concepts well known for the countries that aspire to be part of the European Union family. The European Commission established the rule of law as a sine qua non condition for countries preparing for the EU accession. The EU has been engaged in supporting respect for the rule of law in other countries through preventive strategies, post-crisis rehabilitation and reconstruction, development and peace. All of this was possible by developing new mechanisms and building bridges of cooperation with other organizations such as Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).The aim of this paper is to evaluate the engagement of EU and OSCE regarding the processes of preparation for accession to the Union of the Western Balkan countries and to identify how the EU could collaborate better with the OSCE in a way that advances its foreign policy goals (EU Common Foreign and Security Policy) and projects its strategic interests and values in the Western Balkan countries with a special focus on enforcing the rule of law mechanisms.

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