The Eastern Partnership – something new or window-dressing

The Eastern Partnership is a policy initiative, proposed by Poland and Sweden, to accelerate the growing interdependence between the EU and the countries of Eastern
Europe (Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan). In the light of the conflict in Georgia in August 2008, the heads of state and government of the
European Union meeting in September decided to accelerate the implementation of this policy. A Commission proposal was produced in early December and is being debated in
the Council and will be agreed at a special summit under the Czech presidency in spring 2009.
This working paper discusses the aims and objectives of the Union in relation to Eastern Europe, analyses the details of the proposal and tries to answer the question of whether
the proposals made by the Commission meet the needs of the six countries addressed by the proposal. A host of policy initiatives by the European Union on Eastern Europe
already exist, of which European Neighbourhood Policy is the most obvious. This paper attempts to answer the question whether the Eastern Partnership policy really contains new initiatives, significant enough to change the relationship which exists today, and whether, if successful, it means the end of ENP.