La revisione della politica europea di vicinato e il controverso rapporto tra condizionalità e geometria variabile

This comment examines the reform of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) as illustrated by the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union, Mogherini, in November 2015. The objective of the new ENP is to increase the stability of the neighbours and to promote their growth. It is envisaged the possibility to device a new instrument to financially support the neighbour countries and to simplify the mechanism to monitor the progresses of these countries in carrying out domestic reforms. In addition, the reformed ENP will be prominently based on the principle of variable geometry. This implies that the European Union (EU) is ready to engage with all its neighbours, albeit with different degrees of intensity. At the moment there are at least three categories of neighbours: there are those who are interested to get as close as possible to the EU and to adhere to EU economic and political model (Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine but also to Tunisia and Morocco), those that do not respect values such as respect for human rights and democracy but are interested in cooperating with the EU in area of mutual interests (Azerbaijan) and those that are selectively interested in the EU cooperation (Armenia). The more intense cooperation is reserved to by the EU to neighbour countries that undertake economic and political reforms. However, the EU will also engage with partner countries that are interested to deepen the cooperation with the EU only in limited sectors or are not willing to adhere to the EU model. The greater degree of variable geometry in the ENP cannot be easily reconciled with the methodology of political conditionality which inspires the ENP and, more broadly, the EU external relations. At the same time, a more flexible ENP best serves the EU interests. The conclusion that may be drawn is that the EU is becoming a more pragmatic global actor.