The "Easternisation" of the European Union foreign policy regarding human rights after May 2004 enlargement : Polish and Lithuanian influence on the formation of the European neighbourhood policy

Abstract

This thesis aims to assess the impact of May 2004 enlargement on the formation of EU CFSP, particularly in the field of human rights and democratisation. Using the case study of Poland Lithuania, the study examines how the new member states influence the formation of EU human rights and democratisation policies towards its Eastern neighbourhood. Actual attitudes from the new EU members regarding the EU’s role in promoting its "shared values" behind its Eastern border are compared to expectations and concerns raised before the enlargement. Also, their policy preferences are juxtaposed to those of the ‘old’ fifteen. I argue that contrarily to some predictions, the enlargement undermined neither the political cohesion of the EU nor the development of CFSP. On the contrary, the new members seem eager to contribute to any relevant initiative concerning democratisation in Eastern Europe and wish to share their expertise in that field to the benefit of the EU. Hence, Poland and Lithuania have been very active, launching a number of proposals in the EU for improving the human rights situation in Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and Russia. While their voice is undoubtedly heard in the EU, they have faced numerous difficulties in their efforts to have a greater impact on the concrete content of EU decisions. However, I argue that Poland and Lithuania have the potential to overcome most of these obstacles and become leading actors in the EU relations with the Eastern neighbourhood.