Balázs Szent-Iványi

Reluctant Donors? The Europeanization of International Development Policies in the New Member States

The European Union (EU) played an instrumental role in re-starting the international development policies in central and eastern European Member States, but questions remain about how far this policy area has been Europeanized since accession. Focusing on the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, this article investigates why the new donors have been reluctant to adopt the EUs development acquis more fully. The article traces the socialization processes offered by the EUs development policy rule-making and subsequent national rule implementation. The conclusions reveal three reasons why socialization has been weak: perceptions among the new Member States on the procedural legitimacy of the development acquis; low domestic resonance with the development acquis; and inconsistencies in the activities of norm entrepreneurs. The article contributes to our understanding of development policy in the EU – particularly how decision-making takes place within the Council and its working groups post-enlargement.

Hungarian international development cooperation:context, stakeholders and performance

Abstract This paper explores the domestic and international context of Hungarys emerging international development policy. Specifically, it looks at three factors that may influence how this policy operates: membership in the European Union (EU) and potential ‘Europeanization’, Hungarys wider foreign policy strategy, and the influence of domestic stakeholders. In order to uncover how these factors affect the countrys international development policy, semi-structured interviews were carried out with the main stakeholders. The main conclusions are: (1) While accession to the EU did play a crucial role in restarting Hungarys international development policy, the integration has had little effect since then; (2) international development policy seems to serve mainly Hungarys regional strategic foreign policy and economic interests, and not its global development goals; and (3) although all the domestic development stakeholders are rather weak, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) still seems to play a dominating role. Convergence with European requirements and best practices is, therefore, clearly hindered by foreign policy interests and also by the weakness of non- governmental stakeholders.

The EU's support for democratic governance in the Eastern neighbourhood: the role of transition experience from the New Member States

The European Union seems to place an increasing rhetorical emphasis on harnessing the transition experience of the new member states. This article examines whether the EU actually makes use of this experience in its promotion of democratic governance in the eastern neighbourhood. The main conclusion is that while reform priorities of the EU in the region are aligned with transition experience, the actual participation of actors from the new members in implementing EU-financed projects aimed at promoting democratic governance is limited. This contradiction should be resolved or it will further erode the credibility of the EUs external policies.

Brexit and UK International Development Policy

In this article we explore the implications of Brexit for the UK and the EUs development policies and strategic directions, focusing on the former. While it is likely that the operational process of disentangling the UK from the various development institutions of the EU will be relatively straightforward, the choices that lie ahead about whether and how to cooperate thereafter are more complex. Aid and development policy touches on a wide range of interests—security, trade, climate change, migration, gender rights, and so on. We argue that Brexit will accelerate existing trends within UK development policy, notably towards the growing priority of private sector-led economic growth strategies and blended finance tools. There are strong signals that UK aid will be cut, as successive secretaries of state appear unable to persuade a substantial section of the public and media that UK aid and development policy serves UK interests in a variety of ways.

Foreign Direct Investment in Central and Eastern Europe

This book examines how foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to Central and Eastern Europe have changed after the Great Recession. It argues that beyond their cyclical effects, the economic crisis and the changing competitiveness of Central and Eastern European countries have had structural impacts on FDI in the region. FDI has traditionally been viewed as the key driver of national development, but the apparent structural shift means that focusing on cheap labour as a competitive advantage is no longer a viable strategy for the countries in the region. The authors argue that these countries need to move beyond the narrative of upgrading (attracting FDI inflows with increasingly higher value added), and focus on ensuring greater value capture instead. A potential way for doing this is by developing the conditions in which innovative national companies can emerge, thrive and eventually develop into lead firms of global value chains. The book provides readers with a highly informative account of the reasons why this shift is necessary, as well as diverse perspectives and extensive discussions on the dynamics and structural impacts of FDI in post-crisis Central and Eastern Europe.

Is transition experience enough? The donor-side effectiveness of Czech and Polish democracy aid to Georgia

ABSTRACT The article examines the democracy aid practices of the Czech Republic and Poland in Georgia. These two countries have recently emerged as promoters of democracy, and have argued that their own transition experience puts them in a unique position to support democratization and the consolidation of democracy in the European Union’s eastern neighbourhood. The article evaluates how these two countries provide democracy aid to Georgia along three criteria, derived from the aid effectiveness literature: supporting locally driven change, learning from results, and coordination. The results indicate that both countries have plenty of space to improve the way their democracy aid is delivered. Neither country has formal systems in place to ensure that they actually support Georgian priorities; evaluations are ad hoc and feedback loops missing; and there is significant scope to improve coordination with other donors. Nonetheless, there seems to be a general perception among stakeholders that the democracy aid provided by the Czech Republic and Poland is relevant to Georgia’s needs.

Introduction: The Changing Patterns of FDI

This chapter provides an overview of the main argument in the volume. The message of the book is that beyond its cyclical effects, the Great Recession and the changing competitiveness of the Central and Eastern European countries have had structural impacts on foreign direct investment (FDI) to the region. FDI promotion policies, as well as wider national development policies, need to adapt to this new reality. The chapter also provides concise summaries of the specific arguments made in the individual chapters and discusses basic definitions.

Conclusions: prospects for FDI-led development in a post-crisis world

This chapter explores the possibilities CEE countries have for convergence with the development paths of the Western countries in a post-crisis setting. It argues that the current way in which the CEE countries have integrated into the global value chains of multinational corporations seems unlikely to provide strong further momentum for such convergence. Processes of “upgrading,” which many have perceived as the solution to longer term national development driven by FDI, are unlikely to meaningfully support convergence as these processes go hand-in-hand with decreasing shares of value capture by local affiliates. The CEE countries are stuck in a “low value capture trap” and require policies which foster the emergence of innovative, CEE-based global value chains in order to exit this trap.

Hungary: Understanding the Mentality of a Premature Donor

Hungary re-emerged as a donor of international development assistance after 2003, along with most of the other Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. It is therefore timely to look back at its performance in this policy area. This chapter seeks to assess the dynamics of the decade to 2015 and provide a brief overview of issues influencing the direction of Hungary’s international development cooperation from 2015 on. Will Hungarian development practice move closer to European norms and ‘best practices’, or will Hungary create a distinct donor profile for itself in the international development system through specialization? Or, will Hungary’s development policy maintain its low profile, ‘emerging’ nature in the foreseeable future?

The Europeanisation of Foreign Aid Policy. Slovenia and Latvia 1998–2010—Balázs Szent-Iványi

Book review: The Europeanisation of Foreign Aid Policy. Slovenia and Latvia 1998–2010 PETERIS TIMOFEJEVS HENRIKSSON Umea, Umea University Department of Political Science, 2013. (Statsvetenskapliga institutionens skriftserie/Research Report 2013:5) ISBN 978-91-7459-716-5.