An Arab Springboard for EU Foreign Policy?

Egmont Working Paper No. 54

97 Pages Posted: 27 Mar 2012

See all articles by Sven Biscop

Sven Biscop

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Rosa Balfour

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Michael Emerson

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Date Written: January 31, 2012

Abstract

The EU has not been perceived as reacting very rapidly or effectively to the so-called Arab Spring. Events do appear to validate the idea underpinning the European Security Strategy (ESS) and the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP): only where governments guarantee to their citizens security, prosperity, freedom and equality, can peace and stability last – otherwise, people will revolt. But in practice, in its southern neighborhood the EU has acted in precisely the opposite manner, so the Arab Spring is occurring in spite of rather than thanks to EU policy. The ENP stands at a crossroads therefore: Can a new start be made? Which instruments and, in times of austerity, which means can the EU apply to consolidate democratization? And, finally, can the EU continue to wage an ENP without addressing the hard security dimension, especially as the US seem to be withdrawing from crisis management in the region – or shall it continue to leave that to others?

Keywords: Arab Spring, EU, EU foreign policy, European Neighbourhood Policy, ENP, European Security Strategy, ESS, security, crisis management, democratization

Suggested Citation

Biscop, Sven and Balfour, Rosa and Emerson, Michael, An Arab Springboard for EU Foreign Policy? (January 31, 2012). Egmont Working Paper No. 54, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2028861 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2028861

Sven Biscop (Contact Author)

affiliation not provided to SSRN

No Address Available

Rosa Balfour

affiliation not provided to SSRN

No Address Available

Michael Emerson

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) ( email )

1 Place du Congres
Brussels, 1000
Belgium

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