Accession Regatta Lull

Croatia will become the 28th EU member state in 2013, making it not only the first Western Balkan country to join the EU, but also the last new member for the next few years. Croatia’s relatively straight path to the EU is the exception to the rule in a region where issues of stabilization and unresolved bilateral conflicts still present a number of hurdles. At a time when Brussels is adopting stricter accession rules, will the EU be able to maintain its powerful appeal in the Western Balkans?