Keeping East on the Track: Future of Eastern Partnership and Role of Civil Society
If the ENP – the main framework for relations of EU-27 with its neighbours, but still rather a bureaucratic tool – is subject to such interpretations the more it is the case of political projects like Mediterranean Union (MeU) and Eastern Partnership (EaP). When Sarkozy came up with the idea of Mediterranean Union proponents of East considered that initiative as a shift of balance to South’s favour. If the original idea of EaP is not to be marginalized in same way as MeU was - this perception of shifting balances has to be overcome and it must be clearly stated why at the moment being East matters more.
Why does East matter more? First of all, the region includes potential future member states of the EU. That is not the case of any partner in the South. East is also crucial when it comes to energy security; particularly important is the role of countries of South Caucasus. Last but not least in close relation with EU´s eastern policy is the shape of EU-Russia relations. Here comes the last summer’s conflict between Russia and Georgia and the role it played in the finalization of the EaP. The Commission clearly recognizes war as a crucial momentum and stresses importance of developing contacts with Eastern neighbours beyond existing structures. Proposals such as free trade agreements (already included in earlier initiatives) or visa free regimes should become central goals of the new partnership. Yet, the decision itself is not up to the Commission but up to common consensus of EU-27 and besides general focus of external EU policy the shape of EU-Russia relations is another divisive factor hampering ambitions of the EU to speak (and act) one voice.
Being realistic one has to recognize that these divisions are not possible to overcome overnight even though in the end their settlement is inevitable if the EU wishes to act externally as one in the future. The more important they are the more difficult it will be to find consensus. However, EaP is different from previous projects under the umbrella of ENP in one special component and that is the role assigned to civil society in target countries. For the first time the Commission indicates it is willing to work not only with governments but also with representatives of NGOs and other players from civil society, although it is not clear yet how the particular form of cooperation should look like. EaP is proposing creation of Civil Society Forum (CSF) where both EU and partner countries’ civil society actors will be cooperating. This is something that has been long needed and requested. It means that even though there might be disagreement on the highest political level inside the EU and between the EU, partner countries and/or Russia below that line the cooperation will continue. Of course at the beginning of any project there are high hopes and at this point of time EaP is not different. However, civil societies in partner countries need support and they are keen to receive it while NGOs, think-tanks and others from the EU have so much to offer.
There is no doubt there will be number of conferences dealing with the issue in order to shape or to provide ideas about CSF. One of them “Eastern Partnership: Towards Civil Society Forum” organized by the Association for International Affairs in cooperation with partner organizations from the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden and other countries will take place in Prague on 5-6th May 2009 just on the eve of the official Eastern Partnership summit (7th May 2009).
Please see the Save the Date for this event here.
For more information see the following website http://www.amo.cz/events/eastern-partnership-towards-civil-society-forum.html?lang=en