The European Parliament as an actor in its own right in the EU’s neighbourhood

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the parliamentary diplomacy which the European Parliament (EP) has developed. It provides empirical insights by analysing the Cox–Kwasniewski mission to Ukraine as a prime example of the EP's parliamentary diplomacy. The chapter focuses on the role of the EP in European Union (EU) foreign policy generally. It also explores various aspects of the EP's parliamentary diplomacy in the neighbourhood: cooperation with other legislative bodies, the role of EP delegations for relations with ENP countries, election monitoring missions and the EP's official discourse. The EP has had limited power in influencing the foreign policy of the EU. The Cox–Kwasniewski mission is a salient example of the EP's foreign policy actorness. The mission was facilitated by a minor crisis in relations between the EU and Ukraine, which started with the alienation of Russia after the adoption of the Eastern Partnership and the election of Yanucovich as president in 2010.