The EU and the European Other: the Janus face of EU migration and visa policies in the neighbourhood

Igor Merheim-Eyre examines an area where EU values and interests appear to be currently in real tension – migration. Once again, while the EU institutions themselves may wish to promote values, individual member states are protecting their interests. He examines the ways in which the development of the single market and internal free movement has led to the need for greater control of the EU’s external borders. In this context the neighbours are seen as having a responsibility to help protect the EU from migration from further afield. In acquiescing in this they are promised visa-free access. We see the application of conditionality by the EU, referred to in several chapters, used not to just to promote norms and values but to defend the EU’s security interests. The EU may wish Turkey to be EU-ised but more immediately it needs Turkey to stop migration into the EU from Syria.

‘Bounded Europeanisation’: the case of Ukraine

Nadiia Bureiko and Teodor Lucian Moga’s chapter on Ukraine is the first of three chapters which consider the position of those states who are ‘in-betweeners’ - i.e. pulled between the EU and Russia. They depict a country which is divided over its future direction, attempting to pursue a multi-vector foreign policy out of necessity and which contains differences over its adherence to European identity. For the authors, the experience of being an ‘in-betweener’ is a key limitation on the effectiveness of EU-isation

‘Neighbour languages’: Europeanisation and language borders

Maria Stoicheva’s chapter on language policy and Europeanisation examines an area which is overlooked in the studies of Europeanisation. She considers the ways in which the status of languages such as Russian changed in the Eastern neighbourhood after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The ‘Return to Europe’ and Europeanisation have implications for language policy. Europeanisation may mean promoting English instead of Russian or moving from use of Cyrillic to the Latin script. The fact that Russian language speakers in Ukraine, for example, do not necessarily identify themselves as ethnic Russian and may have a Ukrainian and/or European identity raises the possibility that language use is being replaced by territorial divisions as the indicator of identity. Thus, her chapter shows that the relationship between geopolitics, policymaking and identity is played out at a much more profound level – that of language.

Value-oriented aspects of EU-isation: the case of the Balkans

In the case of the Balkans, Monika Eriksen shows us that EU-isation is dependent on how far it accords with domestic narratives. Croatia and Serbia experience it differently to other Balkan states, for example. This chapter raises the question of how far EU-isation can fundamentally change values and promote an EU-defined European identity when it confronts other local identities such as Balkan identity

Europeanisation and Russia

Tatiana Romanova’s chapter powerfully states the salience of Russia in establishing an alternative geopolitical pole to the EU. Russia asserts that its European identity is not dependent on approval from the EU. Romanova shows that Russia has an alternative interpretation of Europeanisation and European values based on its history and culture. Any EU-isation in Russia is instrumental and Russia is keen to limit its effect in the shared neighbourhood.

Security and democratisation: the case of the South Caucasus1

Kevork Oskanian and Derek Averre explore the relationship between security and democracy in the promotion of the EU’s norms and interests. Their case study of the countries of the South Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia - provides a useful additional insight into neighbourhood countries which do manifest a European perspective but with different degrees of intensity. In the context of discussing the relevance of Democratic Peace Theory and the EU’s perception that conflict resolution and security on its borders are best resolved through democratic governance, their chapter raises the question as to whether conflict is actually more likely when democratisation is incomplete and when there are variations between neighbouring countries between authoritarian systems and near-democracies. This seems to apply to conflicts in the South Caucasus, including the Russo-Georgia war, and indicates a clear limit to EU-isation as a means of ensuring stability and security on the EU’s borders.

Europeanisation as a past and present narrative

Michael Mannin explores the origins of the term ‘Europeanisation’ and the way in which its contemporary iteration - EU-isation - has become associated with the normative power of the EU. He argues that alternative interpretations and traditions of Europeanisation contest the EU-dominated version. This is a key factor in shaping reaction to the EU’s influence in the neighbourhood countries such as Russia

Turkey: identity politics and reticent Europeanisation

Identity politics is also at the heart of Dimitris Tsarouhas’ chapter on Turkey. Turkey’s key role in contributing to the security of the EU is shown by the migration crisis. However, over a long period certain member states of the EU have questioned Turkey’s suitability for EU membership on the basis of identity and values. In the case of Turkey therefore, the tensions between interests, identity and values which concern this volume are being played out most starkly.

Introduction

A core purpose of the introduction will be to lay out the above core themes and overall issues/ questions to be addressed by the chapters. It will also indicate the rationale behind the structure and approach taken. In particular the volume will explore the interrelationship between interests, values and identity in the neighbourhood and the ways in which these affect the EU’s approach to Europeanisation in two ways. Firstly we look at how these interrelate in different regions of the neighbourhood. This will bring out differences and similarities. The introduction and conclusion will highlight these. Secondly we look at how they interrelate in different sectors/issues which cut across the neighbourhood e.g. interests, values and identity and the issue of migration. The introduction and conclusion will again highlight the similarities and differences.

Relations between Moldova and the European Union

Kamil Całus and Marcin Kosienkowski’s study of Moldova reveals similar constraints for EU-isation of another ‘in-betweener’. In this case the chapter reveals the way ‘Europeanisation’ can actually mean ‘modernisation’. However, in practice there has been a lack of reform in such areas as corruption. The presence of Russia in the form of the Eurasian Economic Union appears to play the role of being not only an alternative economic pole but also a way of preserving traditional conservative values in contrast to the uncomfortable challenges of EU-isation.