Reform Imperatives in Germany’s Debate on EU Enlargement

Beyrich, Marie (2025) Reform Imperatives in Germany’s Debate on EU Enlargement. LAW IDENTITY AND VALUES, 5 (2). pp. 9-25. ISSN 2786-2542

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Abstract

This paper engages with the current debate on EU enlargement and the institutional changes deemed necessary to safeguard the Union’s capacity to act. With the prospect of the EU potentially expanding from 27 to 37 member states, questions arise about whether its institutional framework is adequately equipped to manage such growth. In this context, the paper gives particular attention to the 2023 Franco-German expert report ‘Sailing on High Seas – Reforming and Enlarging the EU for the 21st Century,’ commissioned by the German and French governments and presented to their European affairs ministers in September 2023. Composed of scholars and policy experts from both countries, the group formulated reform proposals intended to make the EU enlargement-ready, including short- and long-term measures to improve institutional efficiency, strengthen democratic legitimacy, and uphold the rule of law. Their point of departure is the conviction that enlargement and reform must proceed hand in hand. This paper explores the core recommendations of the expert group and situates them within the broader German debate on EU reform.

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