The European Union in its Neighbourhood: An Accidental Regional Hegemon. College of Europe Policy Brief #4.18, March 2018

Gstöhl, Sieglinde and López, Sofía (2018) The European Union in its Neighbourhood: An Accidental Regional Hegemon. College of Europe Policy Brief #4.18, March 2018. [Policy Paper]

PDF - Published Version Download (756Kb)

Abstract

> Drawing on a definition by Miriam Prys, this policy brief conceptualises the European Union as an ‘accidental regional hegemon’ in its neighbourhood, based on ‘4 Ps’: (1) the provision of regional public goods, (2) internal and external perceptions, (3) the projection of political, economic and institutional norms, including EU acquis, and (4) the (limited) participation of neighbours in EU structures and policies. > As such, the EU has since the 1990s intentionally or inadvertently ‘exported’ not just political values but various types of norms to a growing number of Western Eastern and Southern neighbouring countries. Yet, the EU needs to become more aware of the implications of its accidental hegemony. It needs to supply the right regional public goods, manage perceptions, monitor the projected norms and offer close neighbours ways to participate in their making. > The neighbours also need to better understand the EU’s accidental hegemony: what it can realistically offer and what they may in turn have to contribute, or how to deal with trade-offs between market access and participatory gaps in governance. > Finally, the EU needs to rethink not only the future of its internal differentiation but also offer external differentiated integration in the form of viable alternatives to full membership.

Actions (login required)