El impacto de la ampliación en las relaciones exteriores de la Unión Europea

Resulted from the process of gradual enlargement faced by the European Union in the last years, there is an unanswered question regarding the viability of continuing in that way ignoring multiple factors. Such enlargement process has been questioned as some actors argue that this must embed some limits and conditions, as on top of everything the element of cohesion shall be considered as a part of the mechanism. This allows a foreign policy adaptable to the interests and the institutional frame of the Union in a joint way, leaving away the fears about the political action towards the exterior by the Member States in different matters. In this sense, and under the negotiation premise, the European Union has developed a successful neighborhood policy emerged from its expansion to the East. Nevertheless, the participation of the new Member States in the decision making process seems to turn more complex as it advances and their relations are an important element in the design of a joint foreign policy. This is explained in this article based on the development of two stages: one before and one after the ratification.