One voice, one message, but conflicting goals: Cohesiveness and consistency in the European Neighbourhood Policy

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One voice, one message, but conflicting goals: Cohesiveness and consistency in the European Neighbourhood Policy. / Börzel, Tanja A.; van Hüllen, Vera.
In: Journal of European Public Policy, Vol. 21, No. 7, 08.2014, p. 1033–1049.

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@article{1b8739327aa749c8b639c1583dcd0f04,
title = "One voice, one message, but conflicting goals: Cohesiveness and consistency in the European Neighbourhood Policy",
abstract = "The failure of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in bringing about democratic change in the European Union (EU){\textquoteright}s neighbourhood starts with the EU{\textquoteright}s limited effectiveness in shaping outcomes of international negotiations according to the ambitious objectives it pursues. This paper argues that this is not primarily a problem of a lack of actorness, however. The EU does have one message and speaks with a single voice but pursues conflicting goals. Rather than the lack of internal cohesiveness, it is the ENP{\textquoteright}s substantive inconsistency in seeking to promote effective and democratic governance that undermines the EU{\textquoteright}s external effectiveness. While the ENP conceives of the two objectives as complemen- tary, the democratization of (semi-)authoritarian countries entails the risk of their destabilization at least in the short run. As a result, promoting effective and democratic governance become conflicting objectives. The lower the level of political liberalization and the higher the instability of a country, the more ineffective the EU is in asserting a democratic reform agenda in the ENP Action Plans, clearly favouring stability over change.",
keywords = "Politics, Actorness, cohesiveness, European Neighbourhood Policy, European Union, single voice",
author = "B{\"o}rzel, {Tanja A.} and {van H{\"u}llen}, Vera",
note = "Special Issue: Speaking with a single voice: the EU as an effective actor in global governance? ",
year = "2014",
month = aug,
doi = "10.1080/13501763.2014.912147",
language = "English",
volume = "21",
pages = "1033–1049",
journal = "Journal of European Public Policy",
issn = "1350-1763",
publisher = "Routledge Taylor & Francis Group",
number = "7",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - One voice, one message, but conflicting goals

T2 - Cohesiveness and consistency in the European Neighbourhood Policy

AU - Börzel, Tanja A.

AU - van Hüllen, Vera

N1 - Special Issue: Speaking with a single voice: the EU as an effective actor in global governance?

PY - 2014/8

Y1 - 2014/8

N2 - The failure of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in bringing about democratic change in the European Union (EU)’s neighbourhood starts with the EU’s limited effectiveness in shaping outcomes of international negotiations according to the ambitious objectives it pursues. This paper argues that this is not primarily a problem of a lack of actorness, however. The EU does have one message and speaks with a single voice but pursues conflicting goals. Rather than the lack of internal cohesiveness, it is the ENP’s substantive inconsistency in seeking to promote effective and democratic governance that undermines the EU’s external effectiveness. While the ENP conceives of the two objectives as complemen- tary, the democratization of (semi-)authoritarian countries entails the risk of their destabilization at least in the short run. As a result, promoting effective and democratic governance become conflicting objectives. The lower the level of political liberalization and the higher the instability of a country, the more ineffective the EU is in asserting a democratic reform agenda in the ENP Action Plans, clearly favouring stability over change.

AB - The failure of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in bringing about democratic change in the European Union (EU)’s neighbourhood starts with the EU’s limited effectiveness in shaping outcomes of international negotiations according to the ambitious objectives it pursues. This paper argues that this is not primarily a problem of a lack of actorness, however. The EU does have one message and speaks with a single voice but pursues conflicting goals. Rather than the lack of internal cohesiveness, it is the ENP’s substantive inconsistency in seeking to promote effective and democratic governance that undermines the EU’s external effectiveness. While the ENP conceives of the two objectives as complemen- tary, the democratization of (semi-)authoritarian countries entails the risk of their destabilization at least in the short run. As a result, promoting effective and democratic governance become conflicting objectives. The lower the level of political liberalization and the higher the instability of a country, the more ineffective the EU is in asserting a democratic reform agenda in the ENP Action Plans, clearly favouring stability over change.

KW - Politics

KW - Actorness

KW - cohesiveness

KW - European Neighbourhood Policy

KW - European Union

KW - single voice

U2 - 10.1080/13501763.2014.912147

DO - 10.1080/13501763.2014.912147

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 21

SP - 1033

EP - 1049

JO - Journal of European Public Policy

JF - Journal of European Public Policy

SN - 1350-1763

IS - 7

ER -