European Neighbourhood Policy

European Neighbourhood Policy
EU neighbouring countries:
  European Union
  Official candidates
  European Neighbourhood Policy

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union (EU) which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the EU into the EU. These countries, primarily developing countries, include many who seek one day to become either member states of the European Union itself, or generally more closely integrated with the economy of the European Union.

The EU offers financial assistance to countries within the European Neighbourhood, so long as they meet the strict conditions of government reform, economic reform and other issues surrounding positive transformation. This process is normally underpinned by an Action Plan, as agreed by both Brussels and the target country. The ENP does not cover countries which are in the current EU enlargement agenda, the European Free Trade Association or the western European microstates.

The EU typically concludes Association Agreements in exchange for commitments to political, economic, trade, or human rights reform in a country. In exchange, the country may be offered tariff-free access to some or all EU markets (industrial goods, agricultural products, etc), and financial or technical assistance.

European Neighbourhood Policy:
  EU Member states
  Current Enlargement agenda
  ENP east group (EaP)
  Other ENPI states
  ENP south group (UfM)
  Other UfM states

Contents

History

The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (or Barcelona Process) is a wide framework of political, economic and social relations between member states of the EU and countries of the Southern Mediterranean. It was initiated on 27–28 November 1995 through a conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, held in Barcelona. Besides the 27 member states of the European Union, the remaining "Mediterranean Partners" are all other Mediterranean countries without Libya (which has had 'observer status' since 1999). Since the establishment of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument in 2007 the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership initiative will become fully a part of the wider European Neighbourhood Policy. The *ENPI Info Centre was launched in January 2009 by the European Commission to make more known the relationship between the EU and its Neighbours.

The Association Agreements signed with the Mediterranean states aim at establishing of a Euro-Mediterranean free trade area. Earlier, the EU's neighbourhood policy was realized through New Neighbours (2002) and Wider Europe (2002–2004) initiatives.

According to the European Union's official site, the objective of the ENP is to share the benefits of the EU’s 2004 enlargement with neighbouring countries. It is also designed to prevent the emergence of new dividing lines between the enlarged EU and its neighbours. The vision is that of a ring of countries, drawn into further integration, but without necessarily becoming full members of the European Union. The policy was first outlined by the European Commission in March 2003. The countries covered include all of the Mediterranean shores of Africa and Asia, as well as the European CIS states (with the exception of Russia and Kazakhstan) in the Caucasus and Eastern Europe. Russia insisted on the creation of the four EU-Russia Common Spaces instead of ENP participation.

Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry has expressed interest in the ENP[1] and some MEPs have also discussed Kazakhstan's inclusion in the ENP [6].

Agreements

In recent history, such agreements are signed as part of two EU policies: Stabilisation and Association process (SAp) and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The countries of the Mediterranean and the East European EU neighbours (including South Caucasus, but excluding Russia that insists on creating four EU-Russia Common Spaces) are covered by ENP through the External Relations directorate-general. In the ENP Association Agreements (as in similar AAs signed with Mexico and other states) there is no mention of EU membership—this is a concern only to the European ENP states, because for the Mediterranean it is obvious that they cannot join the union in its current form because they are not located in Europe. The ENP AAs are similar to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreements signed with CIS states in the 1990s and to the multiple other AAs governing the relations between the EU and other third countries. The ENP stipulates that after signing of AA with a particular country the EU will make a Country Report and then the two sides will agree on an Action Plan drafted by the EU (including particular reforms, actions and also aid by the EU) for the next three to five years.

Both the SAA and ENP AP are based mostly on the EU's acquis communautaire and its promulgation in the cooperating states legislation. Of course the depth of the harmonisation is less than for full EU members and some policy areas may not be covered (depending on the particular state).

There are some indications [7] that the ENP countries may be divided into two groups—European states with explicitly stated EU membership possibility for the long term and Mediterranean states with no such statement in the Action Plans. This division is obvious in the two groups for multilateral activities that are meant to supplement the bilateral ENP Action Plans—the Eastern Partnership and the Union for the Mediterranean.

Association Agreements have to be ratified by all the EU member states. AA signed with the Mediterranean states also include a Free Trade Agreement between the EU and the third country. For the East European EU neighbours covered by the ENP such provisions are expected for some of the next Action Plan periods.

Criticism

The Arab Spring in North Africa has shed light on the close personal and business ties between governing elites in EU member states and their Mediterranean counterparts. For example, France’s Foreign Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie was forced to resign due to public outrage over her links to the ousted Ben Ali regime in Tunisia.[2] In 2008 the EU tried to negotiate a association agreement with Libya and earmarked €60mln in ENPI funds to the country over the 2011-2013 period.[3]

Progress


ENP partner		 EU contract FTA provisions Country Report Action Plan Adoption by the EU Adoption by the ENP partner AP duration CFSP invitation [4] EU aspiration [5] Sub-group
Morocco AA, March 2000 Yes May 2004 End 2004 21.2.2005 27.7.2005 3–5 years No No South
Algeria AA, September 2005 Yes Under development (2010) South
Tunisia AA, March 1998 Yes May 2004 End 2004 21.2.2005 4.7.2005 3–5 years No No South
Libya Negotiations on Framework Agreement with Libya started in Nov08 [6] (2010). South
Egypt AA, June 2004 Yes March 2005 End 2006 5.3.2007 6.3.2007 3–5 years No No South
Jordan AA, May 2002 Yes May 2004 End 2004 21.2.2005 11.1.2005 3–5 years Yes [7] No South
Lebanon AA, April 2006 Yes March 2005 Autumn 2006 17.10.2006 19.1.2007 5 years No No South
Syria Updated AA initiated in Dec 2008 [6], signature by the EU Council and ratification pending. Syria also delayed signature in 2009. The EU expects full cooperation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. (2010) South
Israel AA, June 2000 Yes May 2004 End 2004 21.2.2005 11.4.2005 3+ [8] years No No South
Palestinian Authority Interim AA, July 1997 Yes May 2004 End 2004 21.2.2005 4.5.2005 3–5 years No No South
Mauritania As one of the ACP countries Mauritania is in the process of negotiating the West African Economic Partnership Agreement, but notwithstanding this it is a full member of the Union for the Mediterranean. South
Moldova PCA, July 1998 No May 2004 End 2004 21.2.2005 22.2.2005 3 years Yes Yes East
Ukraine PCA, March 1998 No May 2004 End 2004 21.2.2005 21.2.2005 3 years Yes [9] Yes East
Belarus EU considers the Belarus authorities too undemocratic; PCA ratification procedure suspended since 1997[10][11][12]. East
Georgia PCA, July 1999 No March 2005 Autumn 2006 13.11.2006 14.11.2006 5 years Yes Yes East
Armenia PCA, July 1999 No March 2005 Autumn 2006 13.11.2006 14.11.2006 5 years Yes Yes East
Azerbaijan PCA, July 1999 No March 2005 Autumn 2006 13.11.2006 14.11.2006 5 years Yes Yes East
Russia PCA, December 1997 No opted to cooperate through the formation of EU-Russia Common Spaces instead of the ENP. Roadmap (Action Plan substitute) adopted in May 2005 [8] No No N/A
Kazakhstan PCA, July 1999 No the Kazakh Foreign Ministry has expressed interest in the ENP [9]. Some MEPs also discussed Kazakhstan's inclusion in the ENP [10]. N/A

(brackets): expected date
sources: [11], [12], ENP official page [13]

Statistics

State (18) [13] GNI[14] GDP[15] GNI PPP[16] GDP PPP[17] HDI[18] life exp.[19] CPI[20] press freedom[21] internet users[22] WTO[23] VWP[24]
 Algeria 3,620 4,922 7,640 6,927 0.748 72.4 3.2 31.33 10.4 obs 20.3
 Armenia 2,640 3,400 5,900 5,436 0.777 72.1 2.9 22.75 5.8 WTO 53.3
 Azerbaijan 2,550 6,142 6,260 8,958 0.758 67.5 1.9 53.63 18.3 obs 14.0
 Belarus 4,220 6,058 10,740 12,344 0.817 69.0 2.0 58.33 29.0 obs 21.1
 Egypt 1,580 2,108 5,400 5,904 0.716 71.3 2.8 50.25 12.9 WTO 35.3
 Georgia 2,120 3,060 4,770 5,001 0.763 71.0 3.9 31.25 7.8 WTO 46.6
 Israel 21,900 26,535 25,930 28,245 0.930 80.7 6.0 8.83 n/d WTO 3.0
 Jordan 2,850 3,266 5,160 5,171 0.769 72.5 5.1 36.00 n/d WTO 43.2
 Kazakhstan 5,060 9,075 9,700 11,563 0.807 67.2 2.2 35.33 12.4 obs 11.7
 Lebanon 5,770 7,375 10,050 12,063 0.796 72.0 3.0 14.00 n/d obs 27.9
 Libya 9,010 17,468 14,710 14,593 0.840 74.0 2.6 61.50 4.2 obs 27.1
 Moldova 1,260 1,830 2,930 3,153 0.719 68.9 2.9 21.38 16.2 WTO 36.7
 Morocco 2,250 2,901 3,990 4,432 0.646 71.2 3.5 32.25 19.2 WTO 24.0
 Palestine n/d n/d n/d n/d 0.731 73.4 n/d 66.88 n/d x 55.6
 Russia 7,560 12,578 14,400 16,160 0.806 65.5 2.1 47.50 27.0 obs 7.5
 Syria 1,760 2,237 4,370 4,668 0.736 74.1 2.1 59.63 n/d x 33.1
 Tunisia 3,200 4,032 7,130 8,020 0.762 73.9 4.4 48.10 27.0 WTO 23.9
 Ukraine 2,550 4,318 6,810 7,633 0.786 67.9 2.5 19.25 14.6 WTO 30.9
  high income ($11,456 or more)GNI (Gross National Income)
  upper middle income ($3,706 to $11,455) GNI
  lower middle income ($936 to $3,705) GNI
  low income (less than $935) GNI

See also

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ French Foreign Minister Alliot-Marie quits over Tunisia
  3. ^ European Commission’s National Indicative Programme 2011-2013 for Libya, page 21
  4. ^ The EU may invite the ENP partner to align itself with EU declarations in the field of Common Foreign and Security Policy on a case-by-case basis. Currently, in addition to ENP partners the EU invites for alignment the candidate countries, SAp and EFTA states. Each states decides on a case-by-case basis if to align itself with the particular declaration it is ivited to.
  5. ^ The EU takes note of expressed European aspirations by the ENP partner.
  6. ^ a b Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2008
  7. ^ Not envisioned in the Action Plan, but invitation was sent. Jordan has not yet taken a decision.
  8. ^ Extended in April 2008
  9. ^ Not envisioned in the Action Plan, but invitations sent and accepted by Ukraine.
  10. ^ White, S., Korosteleva, E.A. and Löwenhardt, J. (Eds.),(2005), "Postcommunist Belarus", N.Y. & Oxford: Rowman and Littlefield.
  11. ^ Korosteleva E.A., Marsh, R. and Lawson, C., (eds.) (2003) Contemporary Belarus: Between Democracy and Dictatorship, London : RoutledgeCurzon
  12. ^ Lewis, A. (ed.)(2002) The EU and Belarus: Between Moscow and Brussels, London : Kogan Page
  13. ^ Only sovereign states are listed
  14. ^ GNI (nominal) per capita 2007, World Development Indicators database [2] , World Bank, revised 17 October 2008 [3], Atlas method
  15. ^ GDP per capita for year 2008 from IMF World Economic Outlook Database 2008 October Edition
  16. ^ GNI PPP per capita 2007, World Development Indicators database [4] , World Bank, revised 17 October 2008 [5]
  17. ^ GDP PPP per capita for year 2008 from IMF World Economic Outlook Database 2008 October Edition
  18. ^ The Human Development Index (HDI) is a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education, and standards of living for countries worldwide. It is a standard means of measuring well-being, especially child welfare. It is used to distinguish whether the country is a developed, a developing, or an under-developed country, and also to measure the impact of economic policies on quality of life.
  19. ^ life expectancy United Nations World Population Prospects: 2006 revision – Table A.17 for 2005-2010
  20. ^ Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ordering the countries of the world according to "the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians". Transparency International defines corruption as "the abuse of public office for private gain".
  21. ^ RWB Worldwide press freedom index compiles and publishes an annual ranking of countries based upon the organization's assessment of their press freedom records. Small countries, such as Malta, and Andorra, are excluded from this report.
  22. ^ Source; InternetWorldStats for countries of Europe, Asia updated for December 31, 2008
  23. ^ WTO - Members and Observers
  24. ^ VWP is a program of the United States of America which allows citizens of countries with visa refusal rate less than 3% and some specific countries 10% to travel to the US for tourism or business for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa. All countries participating in the program have high HDI and most are regarded as developed countries; Adjusted Visa Refusal Rate year 2006, 2007, 2008

Relevant Reading

Books

  • Korosteleva, E.A, (2012),The European Union and its Eastern Neighbours: Towards a more ambitious partnership? London: BASEES/Routledge Series on Russian and East European Studies, ISBN 0415612616
  • Korosteleva E.A, (Ed.) (2011), Eastern Partnership: A New Opportunity for the Neighbours?, London: Routledge, ISBN 041567607X
  • Korosteleva, E.A, (2011), The Eastern Partnership: Problems and Perspectives, (in Russian), Minsk: Belarusian State University

Academic Journal Articles

  • Elena Korosteleva: Belarusian Foreign Policy in a Time of Crisis’, Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, Special Issue, 27(3-4) 2011, pp. 566-86
  • Elena Korosteleva:‘Change or Continuity: Is the Eastern Partnership an Adequate Tool for the European Neighbourhood’, International Relations, 25(2) 2011, pp. 243-62
  • Elena Korosteleva:‘Eastern Partnership: a New Opportunity for the Neighbours?’, Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, Special Issue, 27(1) 2011, pp. 1-21
  • Wolfgang Tiede and Jakob Schirmer: „Strategische Notwendigkeit – Die Östliche Partnerschaft der Europäischen Union" („Strategic Necessity - The EU’s Eastern Partnership"), in „WeltTrends" (Zeitschrift für internationale Politik und vergleichende Studien), 71/2010, pp. 10–14.
  • Elena Korosteleva:‘Moldova’s European Choice: Between Two Stools’, Europe-Asia Studies, Vol. 62(8) 2010, p. 1267-89
  • Elena Korosteleva:‘The Limits of EU Governance: Belarus’ Response to the European Neighbourhood Policy’, Contemporary Politics, Vol. 15, No. 2, June 2009, pp. 229-45
  • Elena Korosteleva and Gisselle Bosse: “Changing Belarus ? The Limits of EU Governance in Eastern Europe ”, Conflict and Cooperation, Vol.44, No. 2 2009, pp. 143–65
  • Wolfgang Tiede and Jakob Schirmer: "Die Östliche Partnerschaft der Europäischen Union im Rahmen des Gemeinschaftsrechts" ("The European Union's Eastern Partnership under Community law") in Osteuropa-Recht (OER)) 2009 (German Law Journal), vol. 2, pp. 184–191

Book Chapters

  • Wolfgang Tiede und Jakob Schirmer: „The EU’s Eastern Partnership - Objectives and Legal Basis", in: "The European Legal Forum" (EuLF) 3/2009, pp. 168–174.

External links

v · d · e International reach and expansion of the European Union
Theory
Reach
Partnerships
European Neighbourhood Policy (statistics) · Eastern Partnership · Northern Dimension · Union for the Mediterranean
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