The Contemporary Public Debate on EU Integration in the Netherlands

This book covers the public debate on European integration in the Netherlands between 2004 - 2006. The book describes elements that played a crucial role in the public debate on the development of European integration in the Netherlands. The emphasis is on the discussions of EU-enlargement debate; on the completion of the internal market and on the functioning of the EU as such. Although EU enlargement, is according to the EU a great success story , quitte a number of European citizens, and in particular those in the Netherlands, are sceptical about this process. Their fear is that an ever expanding EU will result in more negative consequences which will have a direct impact on their daily lives. The discussion in the Netherlands is about where does Europe end and should not we draw up some kind of final list regarding potential candidate states and then shut the door? This book concludes, among other things, that there seems to be a tendency of enlargement fatigué throughout the EU and especially in the Netherlands. Therefore, this book tries to explain why this particular fatigué is so characteristic for the Dutch public debate on EU integration.