European neighbourhood policy: New models of external governance

Abstract

The European Union (EU) seeks to promote democratic values in third countries, and in the case of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) as an aspect of the EU external governance it aims to contribute to their approximation to the European norms and rules. This chapter offers a review of the EU’s democracy promotion in countries in its eastern and southern neighborhood through the ENP, its models and mechanisms, as well as the two approaches to democracy promotion: the transfer of the institutional democratic framework and of the principles of accountability, transparency and active citizen participation. Conditionality and differentiation as tools of democracy promotion in the neighboring countries, as well as intervening factors as countries’ aspirations and interests and EU’s coherence in the cooperation are assessed.