Publication

This paper describes how the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) has the potential to be an important instrument in stabilizing and resolving conflict situations in the wider European area. The authors describe how there are specific references to conflict prevention in some of the ENP action plans, but no reference to prevention possibilities in other documents, reflecting the fact that such plans have to be negotiated and agreed upon jointly by the EU and the third country concerned. The paper also states that in the absence of the "big carrot" of EU membership, the European Union has reduced leverage over third countries. Nevertheless the paper explains that a strengthened ENP, with more resources at hand, could offer third countries significant incentives to resolve conflict situations.