Exploring the Effects of European Union Conditionality Language on European Mediterranean Human Rights Dialogue

Abstract

Since more than a decade, human rights dialogue in the European Mediterranean Region has been marked by a number of tensions. Although a number of factors contribute to such disputes, the effect of human rights conditionality, which ties EU economic cooperation progression with partner countries human rights advancement, on the dialogue has not been studied. Understanding the aspects, impacts, and effects of conditionality on Euro-Med relations is crucial for furthering dialogue. Yet this variable has been almost entirely neglected in academic and policy research. The research concludes several direct and indirect impacts of conditionality on human rights dialogue using a mixed methodology approach. Direct effects are reflected in the widespread rejection of the language of conditionality used by EU institutions, exposing EU's normative identity to intense scrutiny from its southern neighbors. Indirect effects include skepticism and perceptions that the EU politicizes human rights for its own benefit.