European Neighbourhood Policy Explained

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 European territory of the EU to the Union. These countries include some who seek to one day become either a member state of the European Union, or become more closely integrated with the European Union. The ENP does not apply to neighbours of the EU's outermost regions, specifically France's territories in South America, but only to those countries close to EU member states' territories in mainland Europe.

The countries covered are Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia in the South; and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine in the East. Russia has a special status with the EU-Russia Common Spaces instead of ENP participation. 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 agreed by Brussels and the target country. The ENP does not cover countries 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 (notably industrial goods or agricultural products) and financial or technical assistance.

History

Establishment

The European Union's European Neighbourhood Policy aims at bringing Europe and its neighbours closer. It was conceived after the 2004 enlargement of the European Union with 10 new member countries, in order to avoid creating new borders in Europe. 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 Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, State of Palestine, Syria, Tunisia in the South and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine in the East.^[1] Russia has a special status with the EU–Russia Common Spaces instead of ENP participation.

On 25 May 2011, the European Commission launched what it described as a new and ambitious European Neighbourhood Policy,^[2] backed by more than €1.2 billion in new funding, bringing the total to almost €7 billion. The main priorities and directions of a revitalised ENP strategy are set out in the Joint Communication by the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, titled "A new response to a changing Neighbourhood".^[3] It seeks to strengthen individual and regional relationships between the EU and countries in its neighbourhood through a "more funds for more reform" approach – making more additional funds available, but with more mutual accountability.

In the South, the first comprehensive policy for the region was the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (or Barcelona Process) 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 including Libya (which had 'observer status' from 1999 to 2012).

In the East, the Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a policy initiative launched at the Prague Summit in May 2009 that aims to bring the six Eastern European neighbours (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) closer to the EU. It represents the Eastern dimension of the ENP and strengthens bilateral relations between the EU and its partners. These states, with the exception of Belarus, also participate in the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

In March 2015, the European Commission launched a review of the principles on which the policy is based as well as its scope and how its instruments should be used. The consultation^[4] follows four priorities: differentiation; focus; flexibility; ownership and visibility. A Communication setting out proposals for the future direction of the ENP will follow in autumn.

Funding: from the ENPI via ENI to NDICI

See main article: Global Europe. Giving incentives and rewarding best performers, as well as offering funds in a faster and more flexible manner, were the two main principles underlying the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) that came into force in 2014 and was merged in 2021 into Global Europe.^[5] It has a budget of €15.4 billion and provides the bulk of funding through a number of programmes and replaced The earlier European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI). This cooperation instrument continues to be managed by Directorate-General for Development and Cooperation and EuropeAid, which turns decisions taken on a political level into actions on the ground. The ENPI funding approved for the 2007–2013 period was €11.2 billion.

Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry has expressed interest in the ENP^[6] and some MEPs have also discussed Kazakhstan's inclusion in the ENP.^[7] The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre was launched in January 2009 by the European Commission to make more known the relationship between the EU and its Neighbours.

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 Directorate-General for External Relations. 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 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).

According to EUobserver 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.^[8]

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

Although the Eastern Partnership was inaugurated on 7 May 2009, academic research critically analysing the policy became available by early 2010 (see Elena Korosteleva#Building Research Excellence in Russian and East European Studies at the Universities of Tartu, Uppsala and Kent). Research findings from a UK ESRC research project examining the EU's relations with three Eastern Partnership member states—namely, Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova—notes both conceptual and empirical dilemmas.^[9] First, conceptually the EU has limited uniform awareness of what it is trying to promote in its eastern neighbourhood under the aegis of "shared values", "collective norms", and "joint ownership". Secondly, empirically, the EU seems to favour a "top-down" governance approach (based on rule/norm transfer and conditionality) in its relations with outsiders, which is clearly at odds with a voluntary idea of "partnership", and explicitly limits the input of "the other" in the process of reform.^[10] This has led critics to argue that the neighbourhood policies are subordinated to the EU's interests and values, while the role of the "partners" is at best secondary.^[11]

The Arab Spring in North Africa shed light on the close personal and business ties between members of governing elites in EU member states and their Mediterranean counterparts. For example, French Foreign Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie was forced to resign due to public outrage over her links to the ousted Ben Ali regime in Tunisia.^[12] In 2008, the EU tried to negotiate an association agreement with Libya and earmarked €60 million in ENPI funds to the country over the 2011–2013 period.^[13]

Status

ENP partner	EU Agreement	FTA provi­sions	Country Report	Action Plan	Adoption by the EU	Adoption by the ENP partner	AP duration	CFSP invita­tion^[14]	EU aspira­tion^[15]	Sub-group
Morocco	AA, March 2000		May 2004	End 2004	21 February 2005	27 July 2005	3–5 years			South
Algeria	AA, September 2005		Under development							South
Tunisia	AA, March 1998		May 2004	End 2004	21 February 2005	4 July 2005	3–5 years			South
Libya	Negotiations on Framework Agreement with Libya started in November 2008									South
Egypt	AA, June 2004		March 2005	End 2006	5 March 2007	6 March 2007	3–5 years			South
Jordan	AA, May 2002		May 2004	End 2004	21 February 2005	11 January 2005	3–5 years	^[16]		South
Lebanon	AA, April 2006		March 2005	Autumn 2006	17 October 2006	19 January 2007	5 years			South
Syria	CA, November 1978	Updated AA initialed in December 2008,^[17] signature by the EU Council and ratification pending. Syria delayed signature in 2009. The EU expects full cooperation with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.								South
Israel	AA, June 2000		May 2004	End 2004	21 February 2005	11 April 2005	3+^[18] years			South
Palestinian Authority	Interim AA, July 1997		May 2004	End 2004	21 February 2005	4 May 2005	3–5 years			South
Moldova	AA, June 2014		May 2004	End 2004	21 February 2005	22 February 2005	3 years			East
Ukraine	AA, June 2014		May 2004	End 2004	21 February 2005	21 February 2005	3 years	^[19]		East
Belarus	EU considers the Belarus authorities too undemocratic; PCA ratification procedure suspended since 1997.^[20] ^[21] ^[22]									East
Georgia	AA, June 2014		March 2005	Autumn 2006	13 November 2006	14 November 2006	5 years			East
Armenia	CEPA, March 2021	Negotiations	March 2005	Autumn 2006	13 November 2006	14 November 2006	5 years			East
Azerbaijan	PCA, July 1999	t yet	March 2005	Autumn 2006	13 November 2006	14 November 2006	5 years			East
Other regional partners
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.									NONE
Russia	PCA, December 1997		Opted to cooperate through the formation of EU-Russia Common Spaces instead of the ENP. Roadmap (Action Plan substitute) adopted in May 2005^[23]							NONE
Kazakhstan	PCA, July 1999		The Kazakh Foreign Ministry has expressed interest in the ENP. Some MEPs also discussed Kazakhstan's inclusion in the ENP.							NONE

sources: https://web.archive.org/web/20060220011334/http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/enp/pdf/050523_extra_update_faq.pdf, http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/1467&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en, ENP official page http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/index_en.htm

Statistics

State (18)^[24]	GNI^[25]	GDP^[26]	GNI PPP^[27]	GDP PPP^[28]	HDI^[29]	life exp.^[30]	CPI^[31]	press freedom^[32] ^[33]	internet users^[34]	WTO^[35]	VWP^[36]
bgcolor=#FF0	Algeria	bgcolor=#FF0	3,620	4,922	7,640	6,927	0.748	72.4	3.2	45.53	10.4	bgcolor=#BFE4FF	obs	X
bgcolor=#FF0	Armenia	bgcolor=#FF0	2,640	3,400	5,900	5,436	0.777	72.1	2.9	68.97	5.8	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X
bgcolor=#FF0	Azerbaijan	bgcolor=#FF0	2,550	6,142	6,260	8,958	0.758	67.5	1.9	39.4	18.3	bgcolor=#BFE4FF	obs	X
bgcolor=#BFFFBF	Belarus	bgcolor=#BFFFBF	4,220	6,058	10,740	12,344	0.817	69.0	2.0	39.62	29.0	bgcolor=#BFE4FF	obs	X
bgcolor=#FF0	Egypt	bgcolor=#FF0	1,580	2,108	5,400	5,904	0.716	71.3	2.8	30.23	12.9	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X
bgcolor=#FF0	Georgia	bgcolor=#FF0	2,120	3,060	4,770	5,001	0.763	71.0	3.9	59.3	7.8	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X
bgcolor=#BFE4FE	Israel	bgcolor=#BFE4FE	21,900	26,535	25,930	28,245	0.930	83.04	6.0	59.62	n/d	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	√
bgcolor=#FF0	Jordan	bgcolor=#FF0	2,850	3,266	5,160	5,171	0.769	72.5	5.1	48.66	n/d	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X
bgcolor=#BFFFBF	Kazakhstan	bgcolor=#BFFFBF	5,060	9,075	9,700	11,563	0.807	67.2	2.2	48.28	12.4	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X
bgcolor=#BFFFBF	Lebanon	bgcolor=#BFFFBF	5,770	7,375	10,050	12,063	0.796	72.0	3.0	46.58	n/d	bgcolor=#BFE4FF	obs	X
bgcolor=#BFFFBF	Libya	bgcolor=#BFFFBF	9,010	17,468	14,710	14,593	0.840	74.0	2.6	43.16	4.2	bgcolor=#BFE4FF	obs	X
bgcolor=#FF0		bgcolor=#FF0	1,260	1,830	2,930	3,153	0.719	68.9	2.9	73.47	16.2	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X
bgcolor=#FF0	Morocco	bgcolor=#FF0	2,250	2,901	3,990	4,432	0.646	71.2	3.5	45.42	19.2	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X
	n/d	n/d	n/d	n/d	0.731	73.4	n/d	28.98	n/d	X	X
bgcolor=#BFFFBF		bgcolor=#BFFFBF	7,560	12,578	14,400	16,160	0.806	65.5	2.1	38.82	27.0	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X
bgcolor=#FF0		bgcolor=#FF0	1,760	2,237	4,370	4,668	0.736	74.1	2.1	28.94	n/d	bgcolor=#BFE4FF	obs	X
bgcolor=#BFFFBF	Tunisia	bgcolor=#BFFFBF	4,351	4,032	9,060	9,550	0.762	73.9	4.4	58.49	27.0	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X
bgcolor=#FF0	Ukraine	bgcolor=#FF0	2,550	4,318	6,810	7,633	0.786	67.9	2.5	55.76	14.6	bgcolor=#839DFF	WTO	X

See also

• Arctic policy of European Union
• Countries bordering the European Union
• Eastern Partnership
• ENPI Italy–Tunisia CBC Programme
• EUBAM
• Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
• European integration
• Eurosphere
• EU Strategy for the South Caucasus
• Northern Dimension
• Politics of Europe
• Third-country economic relationships with the European Union
• Union for the Mediterranean

Further reading

Academic policy papers

• Building a Stronger Eastern Partnership: Towards an EaP 2.0, Global Europe Centre, University of Kent, September 2013
• Belarus and the Eastern Partnership: a National Values SurveyGlobal Europe Centre, University of Kent, October 2013
• Moldova’s Values Survey: Widening a European Dialogue in Moldova, Global Europe Centre, University of Kent, January 2014

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,
• Korosteleva E.A, (Ed.) (2011), Eastern Partnership: A New Opportunity for the Neighbours?, London: Routledge,
• Korosteleva, E.A, (2011), The Eastern Partnership: Problems and Perspectives, (in Russian), Minsk: Belarusian State University

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.

Academic journal articles

• Esther Barbé and Elisabeth Johansson-Nogués: "The EU as a Modest 'Force for Good': The European Neighbourhood Policy", International Affairs, Vol. 84, no. 1 (Jan, 2008); pp. 81–96.
• 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, pp. 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
• Jaume Castan Pinos: "The Conflicting Aims of the European Neighborhood Policy and its Secondary Effects", Journal of Borderlands Studies 29 (2) 2014, pp. 133–146.

External links

• European Neighbourhood Policy at European Union External Action Service
• EU Neighbourhood Info Centre
• EU Neighbourhood Library
• European Neighbourhood Policy Website
• Eurostat – Statistics Explained – European Neighbourhood Policy (statistical data)
• Website on the programming of EC development cooperation for the ENP region
• Eastbook.eu – Portal on Eastern Partnership – (part of ENPI)

Notes and References

1. Web site: European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). 2016-12-21. 2017-10-07. European External Action Service.
2. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-11-643_en.htm?locale=en New and ambitious European Neighbourhood Policy
3. http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com_11_303_en.pdf A new response to a changing Neighbourhood
4. Web site: Consultation: "Towards a new European Neighbourhood Policy". European Commission. Retrieved 27 May 2015 . 27 May 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150527164525/http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/neighbourhood/consultation/index_en.htm . 27 May 2015 . dead .
5. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2014:077:0027:0043:EN:PDF Establishing a European Neighbourhood Instrument
6. Web site: The EU's relations with Kazakhstan - Overview . www.eu.int . 17 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080102094416/http://www.eu.int/comm/external_relations/kazakhstan/intro/index.htm . 2 January 2008 . dead.
7. Web site: Kazakhstan. 3 February 2017. 25 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210225121616/http://www.charlestannock.com/speech.asp?id=1150. dead.
8. Web site: Berlin in plans to split EU neighbourhood states. 3 February 2017.
9. http://www.euractiv.com/en/east-mediterranean/moldova-most-EU-friendly-eastern-country-survey-reveals-news-495197 'Moldova most EU-friendly Eastern country, survey reveals'
10. Web site: Europeanizing or Securitizing the 'outsiders'? Assessing the EU's partnership-building approach with Eastern Europe . 2010-04-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091010034624/http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/Minisite/widereurope/index.html . 10 October 2009.
11. Castan Pinos, J. (2014) ‘The Conflicting Aims of the European Neighborhood Policy and its Secondary Effects’, Journal of Borderlands Studies 29 (2): 139.
12. News: French Foreign Minister Alliot-Marie quits over Tunisia. BBC News. 27 February 2011. 3 February 2017. bbc.co.uk.
13. Web site: redirect. 3 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20101008161356/http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/country/2011_enpi_csp_nip_libya_en.pdf. 8 October 2010. dead.
14. 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 invited to.
15. The EU takes note of expressed European aspirations by the ENP partner.
16. Not envisioned in the Action Plan, but invitation was sent. Jordan has not yet taken a decision.
17. Web site: redirect. 3 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20101008161356/http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/country/2011_enpi_csp_nip_libya_en.pdf. 8 October 2010. dead.
18. Extended in April 2008
19. Not envisioned in the Action Plan, but invitations sent and accepted by Ukraine.
20. White, S., Korosteleva, E.A. and Löwenhardt, J. (Eds.),(2005), "Postcommunist Belarus", N.Y. & Oxford: Rowman and Littlefield.
21. Korosteleva E.A., Marsh, R. and Lawson, C., (eds.) (2003) Contemporary Belarus: Between Democracy and Dictatorship, London : RoutledgeCurzon
22. Lewis, A. (ed.)(2002) The EU and Belarus: Between Moscow and Brussels, London : Kogan Page
23. Web site: The four common spaces . ec.europa.eu . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080628065838/http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/russia/common_spaces/index_en.htm . 2008-06-28.
24. Only sovereign states are listed
25. GNI (nominal) per capita 2007, World Development Indicators database contentMDK:20399244~menuPK:1504474~pagePK:64133150~piPK:64133175~theSitePK:239419,00.html, World Bank, revised 17 October 2008 http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATASTATISTICS/Resources/GNIPC.pdf, Atlas method
26. GDP per capita for year 2008 from IMF World Economic Outlook Database 2008 October Edition
27. GNI PPP per capita 2007, World Development Indicators database contentMDK:20399244~menuPK:1504474~pagePK:64133150~piPK:64133175~theSitePK:239419,00.html, World Bank, revised 17 October 2008 http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATASTATISTICS/Resources/GNIPC.pdf
28. GDP PPP per capita for year 2008 from IMF World Economic Outlook Database 2008 October Edition
29. 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.
30. [life expectancy]
31. [List of countries by Corruption Perceptions Index|Corruption Perceptions Index]
32. [Reporters Without Borders#World Press Freedom Index|RWB Worldwide press freedom index]
33. Web site: Reporters Without Borders Index . rsf.org . 14 December 2022.
34. Source; InternetWorldStats for countries of Europe, Asia updated for 31 December 2008
35. [World Trade Organization|WTO]
36. [Visa Waiver Program|VWP]