The Making of EU Foreign Policy: The Case of Eastern Europe

275 Pages·1999·26.175 MB·English

by  Karen E. Smith (auth.)

THE MAKING OF EU FOREIGN POLICY
The Making of
EU Foreign Policy
The Case of Eastern Europe
Karen E. Smith
Lecturer
Department of International Relations
London School of Economics and Political Science
Palgrave
* © Karen E. Smith 1999
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1999978-0-333-72605-1
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ISBN 978-1-349-40587-9 ISBN 978-0-230-37574-1 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9780230375741
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Transferred to digital printing 2002
Contents
List of Tables Vlll
Preface ix
List ofA bbreviations Xl
1 Conceptualizing EU Foreign Policymaking 1
1.1 Some Definitions 2
1.2 The Community and EPC/CFSP 5
1.3 Different Theories, Different Answers 12
1.4 Outline of the Book 21
2 The Community's Relations with Eastern Europe
n
Thro_lm
2.1 EC Relations with the CMEA and its Member States 23
2.1.1 Towards a Common Commercial Policy 25
2.1.2 The Community's Relations with Individual
CMEA States 28
2.1.3 EEC-CMEA Relations 29
2.2 EPC, the EC and the CSCE 35
2.3 Trade and Security 37
2.3.1 The Polish Crisis 38
Conclusion 42
3 Developing a Common Foreign Policy Towards Eastern
Europe, 1988-9 43
3.1 Towards a Community Ostpolitik 44
3.2 Trade and Cooperation Agreements 52
3.2.1 Provisions of the Agreements 54
3.2.2 Conditionality in Practice 57
3.2.3 Further Trade Concessions 63
Conclusion 65
4 Aid 66
4.1 The Commission's Role in Coordinating G-24 Aid 66
4.2 PHARE 70
4.3 Loans 77
4.4 The Community's Role in Establishing the EBRD 80
Conclusion 82
v
VI Contents
5 Association 83
5.1 East Germany's Incorporation into the Community 83
5.1.1 Community Policy Towards the GDR 84
5.1.2 Widening the Community 85
5.2 Widening versus Deepening: Round One 88
5.3 The Europe Agreements 91
5.3.1 Developing the Association Concept 91
5.3.2 Negotiating the Europe Agreements 93
5.3.3 Content of the Europe Agreements 98
Conclusion 102
6 Integration 103
6.1 Towards Copenhagen 103
6.1.1 Improving Market Access 104
6.1.2 Widening versus Deepening: Round Two 107
6.2 Preparing for Accession 120
6.2.1 The Pre-Accession Strategy 122
6.2.2 Consolidating the Structured Relationship 124
6.3 Who Joins First? 128
Conclusion 133
7 Conflict Prevention 135
7.1 Threats to Security in Eastern Europe 136
7.2 The Union's Response to Internal Threats 138
7.2.1 Conditionality 139
7.2.2 Aid for Democratization 143
7.3 The Union's Response to External Threats 144
7.3.1 Encouraging Regional Cooperation 144
7.3.2 The WEU's Relations with Eastern Europe 148
7.3.3 Mediation in the Gabcikovo Dam Dispute 151
7.3.4 The Pact on Stability 155
Conclusion 160
8 Explaining the Making of a Foreign Policy Towards
Eastern Europe 162
8.1 Who Were the Main Actors? 165
8.2 How Were Decisions Reached? 169
8.3 Was the Policy Strategic or Incremental? 171
8.4 The Role of Exogenous and Endogenous Factors 175
8.5 Theoretical Implications 180
8.6 What Future for EU Foreign Policymaking? 181
Contents Vll
Notes 185
Bibliography 240
Index 255
List of Tables
2.1 EC Trade with Eastern Europe, 1958-87 24
3.1 Trade and Cooperation Agreements, 1988-91 55
4.1 G-24 Assistance Commitments, 1990-6 69
4.2 PHARE Funds Committed, 1990-5 71
4.3 PHARE Funds Committed by Country, 1990-5 74
4.4 PHARE Funds Committed by Sector, 1990-5 76
4.5 EIB Lending to Eastern Europe, 1990-6 78
4.6 EC Macro-Financial Assistance to Eastern Europe, 1990-6 79
5.1 Europe Agreements, 1991-3 94
5.2 Europe Agreement Trade Provisions 100
6.1 EC Trade with Eastern Europe, 1988-96 105
6.2 Eastern Europe's Trade Flows, 1989-94 106
6.3 Copenhagen European Council Concessions 108
6.4 GDP and Agriculture in East European Countries and
Poorest EU Member States, 1995 109
6.5 Applications for EU Membership 120
8.1 Trading Partners, 1993 166
8.2 EU Public Opinion on Enlargement to Eastern Europe,
1996 178
viii
Preface
This is a book about European Union (EU) foreign policymaking. It is
not a complete history of the relationship between the EU and
Eastern Europe; the emphasis is squarely on the EU side, and on the
process of foreign policymaking within the ED.
The book argues that there has been a common EU foreign policy
towards six countries of Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czech Republic,
Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia), and analyzes why the EU
member states have agreed to the policy. The objective of the EU's
policy is to support the economic and political transformation in
Eastern Europe and thus ensure security and stability. The policy
instruments that it has used include trade agreements, financial assist
ance, loans, association agreements, political dialogue and, most
importantly, the prospect of enlargement.
Enlargement (along with the creation of Economic and Monetary
Union) has become the biggest challenge facing the EU, yet there
are few books (but many articles) on the EU's relations with
Eastern Europe. This book analyzes why the EU is now at the point at
which it is poised to enlarge to several new members from Eastern
Europe.
The empirical work is based largely on official primary sources and
news reports, and two dozen interviews conducted with officials in
Brussels, London, Florence and Rome. I would like to thank all those
whom I interviewed for taking the time to talk with me about the
policymaking process. Several officials did not wish to be identified, so
the identity of all of those interviewed has not been revealed. I also
thank Emir Lawless of the European University Institute library, who
helped track down important documents.
This book began life as a PhD thesis, which I wrote at the London
School of Economics under the supervision of Professors Christopher
Hill and Paul Taylor. Both supervisors inspired and encouraged me,
and offered invaluable, constructive comments on my work. The book
was later revised during a fellowship year at the European University
Institute in Florence, Italy. I am very grateful to have had the oppor
tunity to study at both institutions, as they are dynamic and intellectu
ally stimulating places for learning.
IX
x Preface
Several people offered extremely useful comments on drafts of part
or all of this book and I cannot thank them enough: Christopher Hill
(in particular), Jan Zielonka, William Wallace, Rodolfo Ragionieri
and Federica Bicchi.