Subject: Law
Year: 2026
Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Type: PeerReviewed
Title: Conditionality and Constitutional Changes in the EU Enlargement Process: North Macedonia's accession under bilateral constraints
Author: Josifovic, Ivica
Abstract: The paper examines the evolving nature of EU conditionality in the context of enlargement, focusing on the case of North Macedonia and its accession process. Traditionally grounded in the Copenhagen criteria, the enlargement framework has increasingly incorporated bilateral disputes as de facto conditions for progress. The paper analyzes the legal and political implications of such developments, particularly in light of the requirements related to constitutional amendments and the broader context of relations with Bulgaria. By employing a doctrinal and qualitative approach, the study explores whether the integration of bilateral issues into the accession framework challenges the fundamental principles of EU law, including legal certainty, equality of candidate states, and the credibility of the enlargement policy. The paper assesses the impact of these conditions on domestic constitutional order and democratic legitimacy in candidate states. The findings suggest that the growing role of bilateral conditionality entails a risk of transforming the enlargement process into a more politicized and less predictable framework, potentially undermining both the transformative power of EU integration and the trust of candidate countries. The paper concludes by proposing a clear delineation between formal accession criteria and bilateral disputes, in order to preserve the integrity and consistency of the EU enlargement process. Keywords: integration, conditionality, enlargement, Macedonia, Bulgaria, bilateral disputes, constitutional amendments, accession process.
Publisher:
Relation: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/39351/
Identifier: oai:eprints.ugd.edu.mk:39351
Identifier: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/39351/1/Collections-of-abstracts-Law-for-the-new-era-2026.pdfIdentifier: https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/39351/2/Conference%20Agenda%20_%20LAW%20FOR%20THE%20NEW%20ERA%20-%20Normative%20Challenges%20in%20the%2021st%20Century.pdfIdentifier: Josifovic, Ivica (2026) Conditionality and Constitutional Changes in the EU Enlargement Process: North Macedonia's accession under bilateral constraints. In: International Scientific Conference Law for the New Era: Normative Challenges in the 21st Century, Faculty of Law, University in Nis, Serbia.
