The role of human rights in the EU’s external action in the Eastern Partnership, the Southern Neighbourhood and in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This report discusses the role of human rights in the EU’s policy to the Eastern Partnership countries, the southern neighbours and the sub-Saharan African states. It builds on the first report of FRAME Work Package 6 – Deliverable 6.1 – which gave an overview of the types of instruments used in human rights promotion in the EU’s external action. This study faces a major challenge that stems from the scope of the field of analysis. It extends to many partners of the EU. The number of states is above 60. However, they do not belong in the same category as far as the intensity of their relations and hence their importance for the EU. There is reason to divide the state partners into three groups: 1. states of the Eastern Partnership; 2. states of the southern neighbourhood, and 3. the states of sub-Saharan Africa. Beyond the elementary grouping, states matter based on their economic and political weight and their willingness/readiness to cooperate with the EU. The three groups are also different as far as the perspective of their relations with the EU. It is clear that the states of the Eastern Partnership and southern neighbourhood matter more for the EU than sub-Saharan Africa as a whole by the intensity of relations. […] The study consists of three main parts: I. Introduction underlining the evolution of human rights in the external relations of the EU. II. The case studies that offer detailed analysis how the EU’s interaction with states and various regions has evolved. III. Conclusions are drawn from the case studies.