THE EFFECT OF REFUGEE CRISIS ON EU ENLARGEMENT

The crisis has marked especially the last decade of the EU, with the refugee crisis being the last wave thereof. The refugee crisis is perhaps having a more aggravated effect on the EU, with the contribution of the prior ones. With the rising Euroscepticism and xenophobia, the EU enlargement policy is particularly under threat. Examining the response of the EU to the prior crisis situations, it is observed that the way out formula has always orbited around ‘more Europe’ approach. Bearing this conclusion in mind, this paper argues that the EU enlargement policy requires a way-out formula from the refugee crisis, which should be developed by placing the EU citizens and their will into its centre. Ultimately, their will reflects directly or indirectly to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, the two leading decision-making institutions of the EU. Moreover, as the decision-making procedure followed during enlargement process is subject to an intergovernmental method, this ‘will’ is gaining more significance. It is also suggested that the will of the EU citizens may be malformed due to the asymmetric information they are exposed to. This may eventually lead to the disintegration of the EU, in analogy with Akerlof’s infamous “Market for ‘Lemons’” illustration that depicts the consequence of asymmetric information.