The Problematic Fields in European Neighborhood Policy: Human Security and Neighborhood Relations

Abstract

With the enlargements of 2004 and 2007, the EU reached at borders with new neighbors stretching from Northern Africa, to Middle East and Southern Caucasus. Despite their struc- tural instability, those three regions possess rich energy resources. The EU promulgated the blue prints of the Union’s future relations with the new neighbors in March 2003 with the pa- per on “Wider Europe Neighborhood: a New Framework for Our Relationships with the Eas- tern and Southern Neighbors.” The framework redefined the basic parameters of the so-called neighborhood policy. The major difference that differs the neighborhood policy from the rest of the Union policies with non-member countries is its unique approach to the concept of hu- man security. Human security is a distinct security approach distancing “the state” from being the major subject of security and instead individuals have been placed gradually in the center of relations between the EU and Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. This study which tries to lure attention to the symbiotic bonds between human security and security community approaches, unfolds the problematic aspects of the neighborhood policy which is based on hu- man security and offers some solutions to those problems.

Keywords

European Union, Neighbourhood Policy, Human Security, North Africa, Middle East, South Caucasus.

Citation

Arman, Murat Necip, “The Problematic Fields in European Neighborhood Policy: Human Security and Neighborhood Relations”, International Relations, Volume 8, Issue 31 (Fall 2011), pp. 45-68.

Affiliations

• Murat Necip ARMAN, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Adnan Menderes University, Department of International Relations