The EU and Its Eastern Neighbors—The Limits of Europeanization

Abstract

This chapter discusses the ways in which the EU seeks to “Europeanize” its eastern neighbors. A particular concern will be whether the so-called external governance model of extending the EU’s norms can be successful where membership of the EU is not a realistic prospect for the neighbors. As we shall see, the key limitation on effective Europeanization in the neighborhood is the asymmetry between the EU’s needs and those of its neighbors. The EU talks of “partnerships” but the conditionality of the EU approach means this is generally a one-way street. Hence adoption of EU norms is often instrumental at best. It could be argued that more effective partnerships, and hence more profound Europeanization, would occur if the neighbors’ own economic and geopolitical interests were to be more effectively accommodated.