Bankwatch position on the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy

Policy comments    |    25 February 2011

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The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) gives countries outside the EU the perspective and opportunity to move beyond cooperation to a significant degree of integration. But when it comes to the eastern European neighbourhood partner countries, the assumption that political and social rights will flow and develop as an automatic consequence of economic liberalisation, is only that – an assumption.

If the ENP is to provide sustainable development and benefit not only a political and economic elite, but the majority of the population, partner countries need to exhibit greater commitments towards the protection of human rights, seek to establish democratic institutions and the introduction of good governance practices, as well as promote the early integration of environmental concerns into policy planning.