This lecture and seminar deal more practically with the concept of the EU as an actor and normative power in eastern neighbourhood, via the Eastern Partnership policy. The prospects and limits in the EU Eastern Partnership will be further critically discussed, using the particular practical examples from the development of the EaP, working of its various dimensions, programmes etc.

We will discuss the key moments in the development of the Eastern Partnership programme, the character and possibilities of the programme, current priorities and directions for its future development. The most important problems of the countries, which are covered by the EaP programme will be summarized. We will also map different priorities, which particular EU countries have in relation to the EaP programme and in relation to the European Neighbourhood Policy as such.

Main questions for the discussion:

What are current priorities in the EaP programme? How is the current development of the EaP influenced by the main EU agenda general priorities? How is it influenced by current most important problems and challenges in eastern Europe?

Pitfalls, achievements, failures and future perspectives of the ENP/Eastern Partnership: Taking into account the reality of the current EU and the situation in the EU neighbourhood, what would you recommend in terms of preferred EU policy towards its neighborhood? Can you see any threats to your plan? 

 
Required readings:

• Euractiv (2021): The Associated Trio in Action. Special report. July 2021. On-line: https://en.euractiv.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/special-report/The-Associated-Trio-in-action-Special-Report-1.pdf 
• Irina Petrova & Laure Delcour (2020) From principle to practice? The resilience–local ownership nexus in the EU Eastern Partnership policy, Contemporary Security Policy, 41:2, 336-360, DOI: 10.1080/13523260.2019.1678280 

Recommended:

Council of the European Union (2021): Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit. Brussels, 15 December 2021. On-line: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/53527/20211215-eap-joint-declaration-en.pdf

Hosa, J.; Kelmendi T. and Slunkin P. (2021): The young and the restless: Europe, Russia, and the next generation of diplomats in the Eastern Partnership. Policy Brief. European Council on Foreign Relations. 8 November 2021. On-line: https://ecfr.eu/publication/the-young-and-the-restless-europe-russia-and-the-next-generation-of-diplomats-in-the-eastern-partnership/

Kakachia K. and Lebanidze, B. (2020): "Global and Diffuse Risks in the Eastern Partnership Countries. Potential Impacts on EU Security. EU-LISTICO,  Working Paper No. 6 June 2020 (on-line: http://gip.ge/global-and-diffuse-risks-in-the-eastern-partnership-countries/)

Laverashvili, T. and Stanionis, R. (2021): EaP Summit – Why the Trio initiative should finally find its way, Euractiv, 14.12.2021. On-line: https://www.euractiv.com/section/eastern-europe/opinion/eap-summit-why-the-trio-initiative-should-finally-find-its-way/

Recommended websites:
EEAS: European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) (https://eeas.europa.eu/diplomatic-network/european-neighbourhood-policy-enp_en)
EEAS: Eastern Partnership (https://eeas.europa.eu/diplomatic-network/eastern-partnership_en)

Eastern Partnership Summit (https://euneighbourseast.eu/eapsummit/)

PRESENTATION: