Seminar paper from the year 2007 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Topic: European Union, grade: 1,7, BVL Campus gGmbH (DAV), language: English, abstract: One of the main objectives ishas been achieved by the European Union: the stable and peaceful integration of Europe. In Mmay 2004 more countries have joined the EU thaen in the previous three enlargments between 1973 and 1995 totalledtogether. Based on that "bBig bang"-enlargement the rating enhanced in Brussels and the national capaitol cities, that the EU alienate their population at leastespecially with the clerity of expansion. In 2007 Rumania and Bulgaria also joined the EU and the question of overexpanding the Union hasis still not been answered. There are three more canditates (Turkey, Croatia, Republic of Macedonia) and 5 more potentiital canditates (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo) which are willing to enter the EU as soon as possible. After the second Eeast enlargement the door to the EU is locked initially and the future of the EU is unsure. Since the miscarry failure of the EU Constitution the intake capacity is in focused oin many political discussions. The IEP (Institute for European Politics) released that those debates tranquilized but the opinions of the specific countires differ enormously. Primarily France, Luxembourg and Austria startred the discussion two years ago. The EU enlargment is a current topic and should not be undervalued.The European Union itself is willing to stay a strong competitor on the world market, which is easier to achieve via expanding and growing. The main problem here is that critics now do not see that the "main" objectives of the EU can be fulifilled when the EUnion grows that fast.This term-paper gives an overview about the current situation and discussions as well as it shows the risks and chances of a further EU enlargement.