Wider Europe policy was developed by the European Union (EU) in 2003 to define relations with neighboring countries and mitigate negative effects of EU enlargement. With the last enlargement of the European Union, the borders have been redrawn toward the East and South. A host of new neighboring countries stand to gain from the institution's expansion of democratic norms and practices. Bulgaria and Romania are already on track for EU membership in 2007, negotiations on Turkey's long-term prospects for EU accession are due to begin soon, and the future integration of states in the Western Balkans is the object of intense debates. The "orange revolution" in Ukraine posed the problem of a long-term European perspective for that country and also raised questions about transition in neighboring states. The Challenge of Wider Europe working group thus raises the question of what policies are needed to promote Europeanization in countries without prospects for EU membership and how economic, political and security dimensions of the European Neighborhood Policy can be better integrated to ensure peace and stability in the EU neighborhood.

Fellow projects in 2006: