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The Birth of a New Policy: What Was the Original Intention of the European Neighborhood Policy?
The European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union that seeks to bring Europe closer to its southeastern neighbors in order to promote ties between these countries and the EU. These include countries seeking eventual membership of the European Union or closer integration with the bloc. Since the EU enlargement in 2004, the original intention of the ENP was to avoid the creation of new borders within Europe and prevent the emergence of new dividing lines.
The vision of the European Neighborhood Policy is to create a circle of countries around Europe that can be further integrated without becoming full members of the European Union.
The countries covered by the ENP include Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia in the south, and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in the east. Russia participates in the EU-Russia common space with its special status and does not fall within the scope of ENP.
It is understood that ENP is not only a diplomatic tool, it also comes with strict conditions for persistent government reforms, economic reforms and other positive transformation issues. These processes are usually based on an action plan agreed between Brussels and the target country. The EU signs association agreements with these countries in exchange for their commitments to political, economic, trade or human rights reforms.
Historical BackgroundThrough association agreements, these countries can gain duty-free access to part or all of the EU market, as well as financial or technical assistance.
The European Neighborhood Policy was first proposed by the European Commission in March 2003 to promote relations between the European Union and its neighboring countries. In the context of the strategy after the expansion in 2004, the policy aims to no longer form dividing lines in Europe. The ENP's fixed policy in the south is the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, while the policy initiative in the east is the Eastern Partnership, both designed to further develop relations between the EU and its neighbours.
In recent years, the new round of ENP policy launched by the EU in 2011 has provided financial support of more than 1.2 billion euros, with a total amount of nearly 7 billion euros. The plan's main priority is "more money for more reforms", aimed at strengthening individual and regional relations between the EU and its neighbours.
Financial support
Funding for Europe’s neighbourhood policy initially relied on the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI), which was renamed Global Europe (NDICI) in 2014 and merged in 2021. The programme has a budget of €15.4 billion and provides primary funding for a number of initiatives. The allocation of these resources depends on the performance assessment of the target countries, emphasizing the principles of flexibility and rapid response.
Agreements and arrangements
The agreements concluded within the European Neighbourhood Policy are integrated into the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) and the ENP. These agreements cover the EU's neighbors in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe and usually do not cover the country's accession to the EU because these Mediterranean countries are not on the European continent.
After the Association Agreement is signed, the EU will conduct national reporting and both parties will jointly negotiate an action plan including specific reforms and EU funding.
Criticisms and Challenges
Despite the launch of the Eastern Partnership, academics had already begun criticizing the policy before 2010. Some studies have shown that the EU suffers from many conceptual confusions and empirical difficulties in its Eastern Neighborhood Policy. Many commentators believe that the neighborhood policy overemphasizes the EU's own interests and values, while ignoring the spontaneity and equality of cooperation with neighboring countries.
The events of the Arab Spring highlighted the close links between those in power in North Africa and the governments of EU member states, raising widespread doubts. For example, France's foreign minister resigned over business dealings involving the regime of former Tunisian President Ben Ali.
Although ENP faces challenges in its specific operation, it remains one of the key strategies of the EU in dealing with complex international relations. In the future, how will the EU adjust its relations with its neighbors and find more appropriate cooperation models in a changing international environment?
