Old Wine in New Programmes
From EU Enlargement to ENP
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
The instruments of the European Neighbourhood Policy were derived from European Union’s eastern enlargement policy. What were once accession criteria are now “common values”. Although accession is not on offer to the EU’s neighbours and the ENP bases relations with the EU on the principles of partnership, differentiation and ownership, the ENP states are being subjected de facto to conditionality. That the ENP encourages rivalry between the EU’s neighbours for best and quickest compliance with the acquis communautaire and undermines regional cooperation also poses problems. Finally, some of the instruments from the eastern enlargement policy are not so easily transferred to the ENP states, and several member states are thwarting the opening of EU programmes for neighbouring states by means of a restrictive visa policy.
(Osteuropa 2-3/2007, pp. 105–116)