More than 20 years from when EU accession was declared a possibility to all countries in Southeastern Europe, most remain in limbo. From long-time EU member state Slovenia to recent candidates Albania and North Macedonia, the states of the region have had vastly different experiences of the EU accession process.
The book 'Europeanization and informal networks in Southeastern Europe' considers the impact of political culture, including informal rules which regulate political behaviour, on this process.
Exploring the EU accession processes of Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia, the book identifies how the working and social culture of political elites enabled and/or constrained the ability of the respective legislatures to pass the reforms necessary to become members of the EU.
In this roundtable, the distinguished panellists will discuss the contributions of the book and how it contributes to our understanding of the region, policymaking processes, and EU accession.