EU enlargement – an opportunity and a challenge for European cities and regions

EU enlargement is back in focus for the Union. It is a given that the candidate countries and their regions and cities must prepare well before they join, but cities and regions in the current EU Member States must get ready as well. Enlargement is a strategic EU interest and should be a catalyst for progress. However, challenges in various areas are inevitable, such as geopolitics, economy, social protection and democracy.