The European Neighborhood Policy: a perspective of the partner countries

Abstrakt

Aim: The aim of the paper is an analysis and assessment of the partner-countries’ various positions and interests with regard to the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). The focus was put on expectations and reservations related to ENP in the partner countries.

Design/ research method: The analysis is based on the subject literature related to the ENP. The paper comprises three parts. The first one depicts general geopolitical overview of the ENP. Second part concentrates on partner countries different approaches towards the initiative and the third section is an attempt to examine the neighboring countries’ conflicting visions towards the ENP.

Conclusions: The widespread criticism of the outcomes of the ENP is a result of grave geopolitical turbulences, i.e.: the Mediterranean partners have experienced the Arab Spring uprisings and the Eastern neighbors have again found themselves in the orbit of particular interests of Russia. The partner countries’ visions and expectations towards the ENP are very diverse. Some of them seek to achieve economic benefits without closer political relations with the EU, others strive to achieve membership in the EU which is perceived as an inherent element of the process of successful reforms and systemic transformation.

Value of the article: The paper addresses the problem of declining the ENP. The reason is twofold: contradictory interests of the partner countries and second, floppy engagement of the UE’s institutions in forging of the ENP policy.

Limitations of the research: The analysis is limited to general political tendencies and line of actions addressed by the ENP partner countries. It resulted both from changes in the ENP agenda as well as international relations and internal turbulences in the regions.