Publication

This brief discusses shifts in EU policy toward the Middle East and North Africa region as a result of the Arab Spring. It first reviews the EU's Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and the European Neighborhood Policy and maintains that since the Arab Spring, the EU has been focusing on bilateral relations over multilateralism. Furthermore, despite initial commitments to promote democracy in the aftermath of the uprisings, he maintains that the EU has reverted to focusing on stability and security, while the emergence of regional competitors has hindered its influence in the region.