European Union eleven years after its Eastern enlargement and prospects in the 21st century

Abstract

There is no doubt that the European Union, as a result of the European
integration, is an unprecedented entity in the history of international
relations. It is a symbol of a new, uniting Europe, which – after its negative
experiences – decided to become a secure continent, i.e. to eliminate war

from the life of their states and nations forever. Unfortunately, the idea of
‘eternal peace’, which many politicians and philosophers dreamt of, has not
been entirely materialised up till now. Moreover, the recent Yugoslav wars
and the present Russia-Ukraine conflict still obstruct the introduction of this
idea into the international relations in Europe. The article aims to present
the European Union at present, 11 years after the 2004 enlargement of
the membership by successive ten states, including as many as eight from
the former Eastern Block. The article presents strengths and weaknesses of
the EU, which – although it became substantially stronger expanding to the
East – does not cope with many economic, political, social and international
problems nowadays. The article attempts to give answers to many questions
concerning the contemporary EU, inter alia: Why does it happen, what are
the reasons and what are its prospects in the 21st century? The main thesis
is the statement that the EU requires a complete overhaul so that it might
continue to develop and be the European integration drive. If it does not
happen, the EU will start to disintegrate and will finally collapse or become
nothing more but just a free trade zone.