The European Union and its neighbours: "Everything but institutions"?

Chilosi, Alberto (2006): The European Union and its neighbours: "Everything but institutions"? Forthcoming in: European Journal of Comparative Economics

Abstract

The paper considers the status of the European Neighbourhood Policy in the light of the new Financial Perspective 2007-2013 and of the present internal state of the European Union. Even if in theory the ENP could have been a valid substitute for enlargement, it does not seem to have reached its aim of providing an adequate surrogate for full membership. Considering the figures of the new Financial Perspective 2007-2013, the issue of market access, and the internal power dynamics of the EU, we see that it is hardly conceivable that the ENP could ever give to its neighbours the same economic advantages that membership gives to the poorer members of the EU. Another controversial aspect is the clear asymmetric nature of the ENP, whereby the payoff for neighbours is conditioned on their “good behaviour”, thus amounting to a form of soft imperialism. While ENP tries to establish a comprehensive and coherent framework of the EU’s relations with its neighbourhood, the actual behaviour of EU towards its neighbours is shown to present some inconsistences due to political expedience and pragmatic concerns. The consideration of some related basic issues of EU institutional reform, such as the weakening of the powers of the member states, or the introduction of some intermediate forms of partial membership, concludes the paper.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Institution: Department of Economics - University of Pisa
• Language: English
• Keywords: European Union; Neighbourhood Policy; market access; enlargement; Financial Perspective
• Subjects: F - International Economics > F5 - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy > F59 - Other

References

Aaslund, A., Warner A. (2004), ‘The EU Enlargement: Consequences for the CIS Countries’, in Dabrowski M., Slay B., Neneman J., Beyond Transition: Development Perspectives and Dilemmas, Avebury, Ashgate Baldwin R., Wyplosz C. (2004), Economics of European Integration, Maidenhead, McGraw-Hill Education Chilosi, A. (2004), “The European Neighbourhood Policy: A Substitute for Eu Membership or a Consolation Prize?”, Documenti IAI IAI0419, paper presented to the conference on The Challenges of European Neighbourhood Policy. Rome, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 26-27 November CIA (2005), World Factbook Commission of the European Communities (2004), ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Laying Down General Provisions Establishing a European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument’, Brussels, 29/9/2004, at <http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/com/pdf/2004/com2004_0628en01.pdf> Dodini M., Fantini M. (2006), ‘The EU Neighbourhood Policy: Implications for Economic Growth and Stability’, Journal of Common Market Studies, 44, 507–532 Economist (2005), ‘Meet the Neighbours’, Economist, June 23rd. EEA Agreement (2007), ‘Protocol 4 on Rules of Origin’, 27/4/2007, at <http://secretariat.efta.int/Web/EuropeanEconomicArea/EEAAgreement/protocols/changed_protocols/protocol4.pdf> EU (2006), MEMO /06/213, ‘Q&A on the legislative package of EU programmes for the financial programming period 2007-2013’, Brussels, 24/05/2006, at <http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/213&format=PDF&aged=1&language=EN&guiLanguage=en> European Commission (2005), ‘Allocation of 2004 EU Expenditure by Member State’, September, at <http://europa.eu.int/comm/budget/agenda2000/reports_en.htm> European Commission (2006), ‘Allocation of 2005 EU Expenditure by Member State’, September, at <http://ec.europa.eu/budget/library/documents/revenue_expenditure/agenda_2000/allocrep_2005_en.pdf> European Commission (2007), “System of Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Cumulation”, updated 28/2, at < http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs/customs_duties/rules_origin/preferential/article_783_en.htm> Grabbe H. (2004), ‘How the Eu Should Help Its Neighbours’, Centre for European Reform Policy Brief, June 2004, at <ww.cpr.co.uk>. Gros, D. (2004), with B. Crum & A. Turman, “Enlargement, a Process Rather than a Point in Time”, Ceps Policy Brief no. 51, April, at < http://www.fh-brandenburg.de/~brasche/EU/k4/k44/k440/Enlarge_cost_benefit_CEPS_1107.pdf> ILO (2003), Key Indicators of The Labour Market, 3-third ed. Geneva, ILO. Jamestown Foundation (2006), Eurasia Daily Monitor ,Volume 3, Issue 160, Thursday, August 17 Kabaalioglu H.(1996), ‘Completion of the Customs Union and the Accession of Turkey to the European Union’, Third Ecsa-World Conference: The European Union In A Changing World. Bruxelles 19 - 20 September, at <http://www.ecsanet.org/conferences/ecsaworld3/kabaalioglu.htm> Kulikova N. (2004), ‘Is Russia-EU Strategic Partnership Possible?’ RIA Novost, 15/11/2004, at <http://kaliningradexpert.org/index.php?doc=800&lng=eng> Milcher S., Slay B. (2005), “The Economics of the ‘European Neighbourhood Policy’: An Initial Assessment,” paper for the conference “Europe after the Enlargement”, Case Foundation, Warsaw, April 8-9, 2005, at <http://www.case.com.pl/dyn/plik--4592639.pdf.> Prodi R. (2002), ‘A Wider Europe - A Proximity Policy as the Key to Stability’, Sixth ECSA-World Conference. Jean Monnet Project, Brussels, 5-6 December, at <http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/02/619&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en> Pursiainen C. (2004), ‘The Ambiguity of the Common European Economic Space: a Strength or a Weakness?’, Russian-European Centre for Economic Policy, at <http://www.recep.ru/files/documents/04_07_26_Economic_Space_En.pdf > Pursiainen C. (2004b), ‘Theories of Integration and the Limits of EU-RF Relations’, Russian-European Centre for Economic Policy, 25/10/2004, at <http://www.recep.ru/en/documents.php> Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1995), ‘Norway, The European Economic Area (EEA) and the EU's Internal Market’, October, at <http://odin.dep.no/odin/engelsk/norway/eu/032001-990083/index-dok000-b-n-a.html> Senior Nello S. (2005), The European Union: Economics, Policy, History, Maidenhead, McGraw-Hill Shumylo O. (2006), ‘Ukraine and the European Neighbourhood Policy. Ensuring the Free Movement of Goods and Services’, CEPS Working Document No. 240/March, p. 10. World Bank (2006), “EU-8: Administrative Capacity in the New Member States: The Limits of Innovation?”, December, at <http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTECA/Resources/EU8_AdminCapacity_Dec06.pdf>