The Enlarged EU and the CFSP

EU enlargement will be a mixed bag for CFSP in the short term as the process of adaptation to working at twenty-five is undertaken. There are distinct benefits to enlargement, especially when the Union speaks with one voice at twenty-five. Of course, there is also the risk of cacophony when a coherent voice does not emerge u0096 something already demonstrated at fifteen. The difficulties of decision-making at twenty five led to demands for increased flexibility in the draft Constitution in the form of co-operation of various kinds: this will pose a challenge for acceding countries and existing EU members alike as the delicate balance between the need for flexibility and consistency is sought. Co-operation may also be manifest in the form of the directoire who, on many foreign and security matters, may be tempted to act as primus inter pares. The challenge for the acceding states will be how to react to a nascent directoire u0096 whether to support its possible formalisation, or whether to accept that it is a fact of CFSP life while, at the same time, ensuring maximum legitimacy for CFSP. This will be a second difficult juggling act. The enlargement process has been described above as a process of mutual accommodation. It is less apparent that the same amount of accommodation has been manifest by the u0091oldu0092 Member States and this may result in a certain amount of adjustment as the newer members assert their priorities and positions on a number of key issues, including not only the internal aspects of CFSP but also their role in defining the EUu0092s relations with significant third parties such as Russia and Ukraine. Finally, Poland will bring considerable diplomatic skills, military capacity and relevant experience to the EU table. This is to be welcomed. It remains to be seen what role Poland will carve for itself but it stands to be a major influence in many aspects of CFSP and ESDP. Polandu0092s role, as significantly the largest acceding country, will yield benefits but it will also bring demands tha