The European Union Policy towards the Balkan States in the Post-Cold War Era

This article analyses the EU's approach towards the Balkan states in the post Cold War era. It argues that the EU failed to serve a credible military actor to prevent the war, even to act an effective mediator to find feasible settlement in the region. The second contention of this study is that the EU has been effective in influencing reconstruction and state building process in the Balkan region after the war through its civilian power instruments: namely the accession carrot and economic instruments.This article analyses the EU's approach towards the Balkan states in the post Cold War era. It argues that the EU failed to serve a credible military actor to prevent the war, even to act an effective mediator to find feasible settlement in the region. The second contention of this study is that the EU has been effective in influencing reconstruction and state building process in the Balkan region after the war through its civilian power instruments: namely the accession carrot and economic instruments