EU Enlargement and Neighborhood Policies: Negotiations, Strategies, and Interactions

Special Editors:

Christian Lequesne, Sciences Po Paris
Lucas Schramm, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich

The European Union’s (EU) enlargement and neighborhood policies have long been central to its external relations and identity. They involve complex negotiation processes between EU institutions, Member States, candidate countries, and partners in the European neighborhood. These negotiations shape not only the EU’s external policies but also the internal governance and political dynamics.

This special issue aims to bring together contributions that explore the negotiation processes, strategies, and practices underlying EU enlargement and neighborhood policies. We invite both senior and junior scholars in political science and related fields to contribute theoretically informed and empirically grounded studies. Papers may focus on either historical or contemporary cases.

We particularly welcome submissions addressing the following themes:

1. Institutional negotiations – interactions within and between EU institutions (Council, European Council, Commission, Parliament) in shaping enlargement and neighborhood policies.
2. Member State perspectives – domestic debates, coordination processes, and negotiation positions of individual EU members.
3. Negotiations with candidate and neighborhood countries – bilateral or multilateral negotiations, strategies, and power dynamics between the EU and external partners.
4. Informal practices and actors – roles of diplomats, experts, lobbyists, and civil society actors in influencing negotiations and outcomes.
5. Theoretical approaches – linking the study of EU negotiations to broader theories of international negotiation, European integration, or foreign policy analysis.

Submission details:

An abstract of no more than 500 words should be submitted to the special editors by December 15th 2025. Authors will be notified of the decision shortly thereafter. Full papers are expected by June 2026 for publication in the journal Négociation(s).

Contact for submissions and inquiries: 
christian.lequesne@sciencespo.fr
lucas.schramm@gsi.uni-muenchen.de

Authors are invited to follow the submission guidelines available on the journal’s website.