EU AND MIDDLE EAST SOFT POWER ¢Term opposed to „hard power“ (power to coerce) ¢EU tries to spread its own values and ideas (democracy, human rights) in the world ¢Crucial for close neighbours because of stability ¢Some EU states disagreed with US intervention to Iraq COPENHAGEN CRITERIA ¢Set of conditions the candidate states would have to fulfil to become members ¢Political – democracy, stable institutions, rule of law, respect to human rights ¢Economic – market economy, ability to sustain competition in the internal market ¢Aquis communitaire– to transport all EU law into national legal orders (including EMU) ¢ MEMBERSHIP CONDITIONALITY ¢For many countries EU membership is very attractive ¢„Power of attraction“ can turn soft power into a power of coercion ¢The possibility of membership has to be credible ¢For many European countries nowadays EU membership is a „far shot“ ¢ CANDIDATE COUNTRIES ¢Turkey ¢Macedonia ¢Montenegro ¢Serbia ¢Island (stopped) ¢Since 2014 Albania TURKEY ¢Associate member since 1963 ¢Partner country in NATO ¢Application in 1987, candidate country since 1999 ¢Negotiations opened in 2004, but are very slow ¢Islamic country ¢Poor country (but with huge GDP growth) ¢Large agriculture ¢Does it lie in Europe? ¢Common history ¢Current political problems in Turkey ¢ EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY ¢Established in 2004 as a framework of relations with neighbouring countries ¢First idea was to capitalize on the relations of the new member states with EECs ¢The southern countries wanted to include also Mediterrean countries ¢Includes altogether 16 countries ¢In fact bilateral relations between the EU and a given country ¢ FUNCTIONING OF ENP ¢Action Plans are the most important tools – program of concreate reforms in the area of democracy, access to EU markets, JHA ¢Monitoring of progress ¢ENPI as a main financial instrument of cooperation ¢ EU AND MEDITERREAN ¢One of the first regions where the then EC established deeper ties ¢1995 as a breaking point – Barcelona Process signed ¢Multilateral platform of cooperation ¢Political, security, economic, cultural and social level of cooperation UNION FOR MEDITERRANEAN ¢Follows the former Barcelona Process established in 1995 ¢Was created in 2008, idea of Nicolas Sarkozy – at first it should have been a much closer union of states ¢Turkey opposed – no alternative to EU membership ¢Contains EU countries, Maghreb and Mashriq countries, Bosna, Montenegro, Albania and Mauritania UNIE PRO STŘEDOMOŘÍ EU AND MAGHREB ¢Countries that are important for EU countries as regards resources ¢Lybian oil (25% for Italy in 2009) and gas from Algeria (ITA 42%) ¢Cooperation in migration ¢Cooperation on terrorism – potentialy problematic countries ¢ EU AND THE „ARAB SPRING“ ¢EU supports democratic changes in the region ¢Substantional amounts of money have been provided through the Support to Partnership, Reform and Inclusive Growth Policy (SPRING) ¢Syria – EU was only able to agree on sanctions – lowest common denominator NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES AND MIGRATION ISSUES ¢Cooperation of neighbouring countries is crucial for tackling illegal migration ¢These countries should protect their border and not to let transit ¢Existence of readmission treaties ¢Most problematic border is Turkey-Greece – FRONTEX action needed – Treaty with Turkey MIGRATION CRISIS ¢Start in 2015 – sharp increase in the number of migrants – over a million people came ¢EU response was quite slow ¢Treaty with Greece sealed the Meditterean route ¢Pressure moved to Italy – cooperation with Lybia ¢Currently most people come through Spain, but the numbers are much smaller SOLUTIONS? ¢New rules? ¢Current rules put burden at some particular states ¢Difficult to find consensus in Europe ¢Asylum quotas? ¢Cooperation with African/Northern African states?? ¢Migration/development nexus? EU AND IZRAEL AND PALESTINE ¢EU supports the idea of two states ¢EU criticizes Izraeli settlements ¢EU part of the Quartet (together with U.S., Russia and UN) ¢Member states divided on recognition of Palestine (CZE against, UK and DE abstained)