European Neighbourhood Policy

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) was developed in 2004 to promote prosperity, security, stability as well as rule-of-law and democratic structures in the countries bordering the EU. It is an increasingly important instrument for shaping the EU's regional and international relations and is actively supported by Austria.

It is geared towards the EU’s immediate neighbours both to the east (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) and to the south (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian territories, Syria and Tunisia). As of 28 June 2021, Belarus has suspended its membership in the Eastern Partnership. Libya and Syria currently do not fully participate in the ENP.

The EU's collaboration with the respective states is based on partnership and cooperation agreements and, more recently, association agreements to be complemented by “Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas” (DCFTA).

The ENP, revised in 2015, is implemented through contacts to partner countries and in close coordination with EU member states. It takes into account the rapid changes and challenges of recent years in the immediate neighbourhood, in particular the interdependence between the EU and its neighbouring countries, as highlighted by refugee movements. Key features of the new ENP are higher levels of differentiation and shared responsibility among EU member states. It takes into account that partners might not want to adhere to all EU rules and standards, but create partnerships with the EU according to their own wishes and orientation.

The ENP focuses on stabilizing partner countries economically, politically and in terms of security policy, improving prospects for the population by promoting economic and sustainable development, preventing radicalization and supporting reforms in the security sector and border management. Thus, the EU contributes to the implementation of the Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy adopted in 2016, which declared strengthened state and societal resilience in the EU's neighbourhood as a strategic priority. EU efforts to promote good governance, democracy, the rule of law and human rights, and the fight against corruption will continue.

The EU supports the achievement of ENP objectives through financial contributions as well as political and technical cooperation. The primary financial instrument is the “Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument” (NDICI). Twinning programs (administrative partnerships) and TAIEX (short-term secondment of experts) support reform processes and institution building in partner countries. The aim is to provide the relevant expertise, in order to adjust national policies and standards to those of the EU.

The southern Neighbourhood

Due to ongoing conflicts, refugee movements, and the threat of terrorism in North Africa and the Middle East, the implementation of the ENP in North Africa and the Middle East, in the Southern Neighbourhood (SN), focuses on long-term and sustainable political and economic stabilization. By promoting economic development, democratic structures, good governance, the rule of law, an effective judicial system and a functioning police force, the aim is to strengthen the resilience of the southern partner countries.

The deployment of at least one third of NDICI’s financial resources to the Southern Neighbourhood reflects the increasing political and strategic importance of the region. The EU has association agreements with Egypt (2004), Algeria (2005), Israel (2000), Jordan (2002), Lebanon (2006), Morocco (2000), the Palestinian Authority (interim agreement 1997), and Tunisia (1998). Negotiations for a DCFTA with Morocco have been ongoing since 2013 and with Tunisia since 2015.

As EU member state, Austria is also a member of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).  Founded in 2008, the UfM encompasses 43 countries: all 27 EU member states and 16 Mediterranean states, with Libya having observer status. The EU has co-chaired the UfM with Jordan since 2012, thus strengthening the complementarity of the UfM with the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and the effectiveness of EU assistance to the Southern Mediterranean. The objective of UfM is to promote economic integration and sectoral cooperation in the region, pushing for the stabilization of the politically fragile region in the southern Mediterranean and is thus in line with Austria's foreign policy interests. It fulfils an important role as a platform for dialogue and a forum for regional cooperation. Intercultural dialogue sponsored by the Anna Lindh Foundation, a think tank associated with the UfM, can play an important role in preventing conflict and building mutual trust.