Why Expand?: The Question of Legitimacy and Justification in the EU’s Enlargement Policy

Why does the European Union (EU) enlarge and why does it make certain prioritizations amongst applicants in the enlargement process? In this article, different reasons that have been used in mobilizing for enlargement are examined. An analytical distinction is made between three different types of reasons: pragmatic, ethical–political and moral. The conclusion is that ethical–political reasons, which testify to a sense of kinship–based duty, are particularly important in mobilizing for enlargement to incorporate central and eastern Europe and thus also central to an appreciation of prioritizations in the EU’s enlargement policy.