The 2015 ENP Review: Beyond Stocktaking, the Need for a Political Strategy

Executive Summary
+ The 2015 ENP Review offers the most extensive revision of the European Neighbourhood Policy ever since it was launched.
+ The Review signals a welcome shift in the EU’s policy approach. It overcomes the initial EUcentric approach focussing on the EU’s own experience and previous policies (first and foremost enlargement) and places partner countries’ aspirations and needs at the core of the
revised neighbourhood policy.
+ However, the Review falls short of sketching out a real and much-needed strategic vision and of providing political impetus to the neighbourhood policy.
+ It remains also unclear how the EU intends to strike a balance between values and interests in the revised policy.
+ All this needs to be addressed in the next steps, either in the forthcoming discussions with the partner countries or in the upcoming positions of the EU’s institutions and policy-makers

• Primary Source

College of Europe: Publications: CEPOB - College of Europe Policy Brief series https://www.coleurope.eu/research/publications/cepob-college-europe-policy-brief-series

ESO: Background information: Review of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP): stronger partnerships for a stronger neighbourhood http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-review-of-the-european-neighbourhood-policy-enp-stronger-partnerships-for-a-stronger-neighbourhood/

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