The Assessment of the European Neighbourhood Policy in the South Caucasus: What the European Union can do?

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is now the flags hip policy of the European Union towards its neighbours. Although the ENP did not include the South Caucasus countries from the beginning, last years brought important changes in this respect. The development of the ENP in the South Caucasus can be understood as the result of (he European internal debates, of the institutional corrections made by (he European Commission and of (he external events' influence over the Union. The European Neighbourhood Policy still needs further improvements, especially concerning the Eastern neighbours. In (his paper, I will try to assess the ENP in the South Caucasus, analysing the following aspects: the EU interests in the region, the bilateral relations before the ENP, the Action Plans, the EU's assistance, the perspectives open by the Eastern Partnership - announcedfor spring 2009. The paper will finish with conclusions and recommendations regarding the improvement of the ENP in the South Caucasus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]