ABSTRACT
People travelling by car between Germany and France may be struck by the absence of frontiers between these countries. This chapter looks first at the definition of borders and considers where the borders of the European Union (EU) are or will be in the foreseeable future, focusing in particular on the EU's eastern enlargement. If one is to adopt a working definition of borders, one may borrow from Stefano Bartolini who uses the concept to denote the outlines of political-administratively organised territories. Where the territorial confines of the EU are at the time of the 2004 enlargement is fairly well-known, although there is some lack of clarity, notably with regard to Cyprus and Latvia. The Wider Europe document does not hold out the same prospects of membership as the Commission extended to Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey, where accession discourse helps to muster popular support necessary for policy changes in countries with developing democracies and economies in transition.
