So the EU’s promise of membership simply has to be credible if accession-driven reforms are to succeed and EU norms internalized in applicant states. The EU’s real problem in the western Balkans is that the promise (of membership) made to aspiring states in 2003 is no longer sufficient to counter the currents of enlargement fatigue, which has led to reform fatigue, slowing the progress of the region’s applicants to a virtual standstill.
因此欧盟成员资格承诺必须是可信的，如果入盟推动的改革想要成功、欧盟规范想要在申请国内部化的话。欧盟在西巴尔干真正的问题是在2003年诱导诸国的（成员资格）承诺已不再足以抵消目前的扩张疲劳，而扩张疲劳导致了改革疲劳，让该地区的申请国陷入了进步停顿的状态。