Catherine Cornaro

Stefan Wolff on Re-thinking the European Neighbourhood Policy

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• published: 16 Dec 2011
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About the Speech: Professor Wolff traced the development of European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) from its initial phase as an alternative to enlargement to its current form as a regional foreign and security policy. 2011 has been the key year in this transition. The EU produced more strategy documents on ENP in 2011 than in any other year and increased the budget of the policy more significantly than ever before. This was partly in response to the developments in its southern neighbourhood and partly the result of a longer review process that was initially triggered by the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. Professor Wolff discussed the security challenges in the EU's southern neighbourhood and how ENP can address these challenges. The one innovative initiative that the EU has launched this year is its enhanced support for confidence-building and the implementation of peace settlements in its neighbourhood. Professor Wolff argues that this is an area in which the EU should seek to carve a niche for an effective contribution to stability in its neighbourhood through the instruments that ENP offers. The Union does have substantial experience and expertise in civilian crisis management operations and this is where it can make a real contribution to its southern neighbourhood. Although there are a number of problems that have beset ENP from the start and there are profound challenges facing the EU in its neighbourhood, Professor Wolff ended on the positive note that there are now a number of opportunities for the EU to achieve its strategic goal of a secure, prosperous and stable neighbourhood. About the Speaker: Stefan Wolff is Professor of International Security at the University of Birmingham. A political scientist by background, he specialises in the management of international security challenges, with a focus on ethnic and religious conflicts. Professor Wolff has extensive experience in advising governments and international organisations such as the OSCE on conflict resolution, including in Moldova, Kosovo, Iraq, Sudan and Sri Lanka. He is the author of numerous publications on the issue of European Neighbourhood Policy, ethnic conflict and crisis management.