Abstract
The modification process of the European Union’s institutional order appears to be permanent. One of the elements of this tendency is the position of the European Council, which is especially interesting in the field of stimulating external EU activities. The aim of this analysis is to explore the EC’s engagement in initiating foreign relations, taking the eastern neighborhood as an example. The paper reviews the European Council’s meetings in the period of 2008–2016, concluding that the EC actively responded to external challenges and created a political impetus for the actions of other institutions. The internal debate initiated by the member states from Central and Eastern Europe resulted in the formulation of the Eastern Partnership initiative that the European Council approved and adopted, giving it a political impetus within the European Union. This caused a specific reaction in the neighborhood. The process of association of some eastern partners was accompanied by the need to deal with the challenging response from Russia, which resorted, among other things, to military measures. The European Council’s involvement in external actions in the East became a self-deepening process with a changing profile and priorities.
Highlights
The external relations of the European Union are one of the most dynamic areas of the European integration process
In March, the European Council dedicated a significant part of the Conclusions to the issue declaring that “promoting stability, good governance and economic development in its Eastern neighbourhood is of strategic importance for the European Union” and the “European Council welcomes the establishment of an ambitious Eastern Partnership” as well as “calls for all necessary preparations to be made for the Eastern Partnership launching summit with the partner countries on 7 May 2009.”
Summarizing this section, the six states of the Eastern Partnership form three categories in the Conclusions of the European Council: (1) some are marginally present in the Conclusions due to the lack of either positive or negative developments (Armenia and Azerbaijan); (2) some are a matter of concern due to their domestic problems (Belarus); and (3) some are an object of intensive tightening of the relations (Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine), but in the case of Ukraine after 2014 attention is paid to overcoming the problems with domestic instability and Russian intervention
Summary
The external relations of the European Union are one of the most dynamic areas of the European integration process. Recent integration experiences have resulted in foreign policy becoming yet another field of experimentation This is happening against the backdrop of fundamental changes in the international arena, where the stability in the surroundings of Europe is clearly deteriorating. This results in attempts to reinstate the stability in the nearest neighboring countries by means of external measures on the one hand, and the need for the European Union to address its failures in the implementation of these measures on the other. The premise of these considerations is the claim that the European Council is becoming increasingly influential and that, given external challenges, it is taking advantage of its competences to initiate activities and respond to the problems of external policies
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
