The coming Eastern enlargement of the European Union is seen by governments of the present member states, and by eu institutions, as threatening the eu institutional system's capacity to act, more so than any of the preceding enlargements. This article explores the origins of this concern, examines the way the eu states have sought to address it by means of treaty reforms (the last of which was agreed by the Nice European Council of December 2000), and addresses some other institutional challenges that should be dealt with before enlargement occurs.
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