The fall of communism promised a new era of European governance – open, accountable, efficient administration – across Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans. Three decades later, that promise feels yet to be fulfilled. From Communism to European Governance traces why. The book reconstructs the genesis, institutionalisation, and implementation of the European Commission’s support for domestic administrative reform in Romania (EU member), Serbia (EU candidate), and Moldova (EU neighbour), from 2000 to 2020. The findings challenge both optimistic narratives of EU-driven transformation and sceptical claims of external impotence. While EU engagement has strengthened legal frameworks, strategic planning, and administrative capacity, the depth and sustainability of reform depend on domestic ownership, credible incentives, and the resilience of political commitment. At a moment when EU enlargement has returned to the centre of European geopolitics, this is an essential read for scholars and policymakers engaged in governance reform across Europe and its neighbourhood.

Dr Claudia B.dulescu is a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow at Maynooth University, specialising in European integration and democratic transformation in post-communist Europe. She holds a PhD from the European University Institute and has professional experience managing EU-funded administrative reform projects across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.