Analysis by Kristian L. Nielsen
While EU policy towards the Western Balkans has been scrutinized intensely, the position of the Nordic EU member states has been more obscure. While all three countries were once quite involved in the peacekeeping and rebuilding efforts, a closer examination shows that while Denmark and Finland have largely withdrawn from the region, Sweden continues an active policy across several fields. Public debate on future EU enlargement towards the Western Balkans is largely absent in all three countries, and public opinion, although far from solid, is not very enthusiastic, either. However, there is also little to suggest any active hostility in the three Nordic states. Instead, in the absence of strong, direct interests – whether in terms of the economy or hard security – the Nordic countries seem content to let EU institutions and other member states push the integration of the region forward. Most initiatives are, by and large, passively supported, while close attention is paid to the formal criteria for membership.
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