The EU-VALUES Newsletter - Issue 3

Welcome to the third issue of the EU-VALUES Newsletter! In this edition, we focus on a special research collection on Bolstering the Rule of Law and Democracy in the EU's Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood, recommending thought-provoking literature and projects related to the EU’s external policies and actions. We are also pleased to share our latest activities, including our brand-new podcast and video series, highlights from our webinars, upcoming dates for your diaries and insightful blog posts. 

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), launched in 2004, has evolved in response to geopolitical events, shifting to address refugee crises, energy challenges, and regional stability. Key initiatives, including the Union for the Mediterranean and Eastern Partnership, now prioritise institutional resilience, governance, and flexible cooperation rooted in shared democratic values.

In recent years, we see some setbacks: the relations with Russia have sharply deteriorated following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine. The subsequent full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has brought EU-Russia relations to their lowest ebb in recent years while Ukraine has become a strategic EU partner. Considering the Southern Neighbourhood, we see the intensification of the importance of the migration agenda and the consolidation of an authoritarian shift in the region. Both dynamics seem to reinforce each other, both in the north (e.g.: Italy with disembarkation platforms in Albania) and in the south (Tunisia; Turkey). Finally, one could speak of a loss in the normative power of the EU in the context of Israel's various wars in the region. 

All these aspects are covered by the articles in our newsletter. Starting with Anghel and Džankić who show in their article “Wartime EU: Consequences of the Russia – Ukraine War on the Enlargement Process” how the EU revived the enlargement process in response to Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A similar argument is made in the article "Enlargement of the EU Towards the East: A Pivotal Change in EU’s External Policy" by Dubský et al., showing that the war in Ukraine has served to catalyse deeper political and economic ties with Eastern neighbours. Mesarovich's article on the other side, "Untangling the Gossamer Web: Policy Learning and Informal Networks in Croatia and Serbia", further explores how EU expansion policies encourage candidate countries to align with EU norms.

Considering the Southern Neighbourhood, Shyrokykh et al. examine the relevance of EU climate cooperation, while Zardo and Wolff explore migration governance in the Mediterranean. Meftuler-Bac analyses the influence of third actors, such as Turkey, not only on the EU but also on bilateral relations. An emerging topic is the influence of Middle Eastern conflicts on the EU. Pace revists his ideas on The Construction of EU Normative Power in this context, while Zahavi and Ariely explore the role of norms and culture in shaping perceptions of the EU in Israel. Rivera-Escartin contributes to the ever-growing topic of democratic backsliding, focusing on the case of Tunisia. Taking a broader view on rule of law and democracy, Wouters offers recommendations for strengthening the rule of law in the EU’s external relations.

Brought to you by the EU-VALUES Network, we have launched a podcast series dedicated to unpacking the values, principles, and policies that define the EU and its global influence. Listen now to:

• Populist Power Plays: Unpacking 'Unpolitics' in EU Decision-Making with Prof. Ariadna Ripoll Servent and Prof. Natascha Zaun.

• Geopolitical EU: How the War in Ukraine is Reshaping Europe's Global Role with Prof. Elisabeth Johansson-Nogués on her research with Francesca Leso.

• An Introduction to the EU-VALUES Network with Prof. Jacint Jordana.

🎙️New episodes are on the way so stay tuned! Subscribe on Spotify or Soundcloud. Have a podcast idea you’d like to share? We want to hear from you — reach out to: euvalues@ibei.org

EU-VALUES Webinar Series

Over the past couple of months, Prof. José Magone presented The Americanization of European Union Democracy Promotion, in discussion with Prof. Andrea Ribeiro Hoffmann, which examined the century-long evolution of international democracy promotion and its impact.

We also explored the challenges to multilateralism in our session Multilateralism in the Crosshairs with Prof. Monica Herz and Giancarlo Summa. This thought-provoking session delved into the rise of the radical right in Brazil and Latin America, addressing topics such as the erosion of democracy, disinformation, and the assault on international cooperation.

🚨 Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming Webinars 🚨

• Tuesday 12th November, 15hrs CET: Rethinking Corruption with Prof. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, and discussant Prof. Brigitte Unger. Register here.

• Tuesday 26th November 15hrs CET: Europeanization and Informal Networks in Southeastern Europe with Prof. Alexander Mesarovich, and discussant Prof. Irena Petrovic Information and invitations to follow.

EU-VALUES Blog Series ✍️

Explore the latest Ideas and Insights from the EU-VALUES Network on our blog:

• Venezuela's Electoral Impasse: Fragility of Democracy and Human Rights by Prof. Monica Herz and Prof. Andrea Ribeiro Hoffmann discusses the recent Venezuelan election results, which declared President Nicolás Maduro the winner amid fraud allegations. This outcome has heightened political tensions and revealed the fragility of democratic institutions, exposing a divided international response and its implications for governance and human rights.

• Unpacking China's Influence on Global Human Rights Norms by Prof. Xinyuan Dai and Dr. Lucie Lu examines China's growing global influence in shaping human rights discourse. Their analysis of over 93,000 UN recommendations reveals how China promotes social and economic rights while sidelining civil and political ones, particularly appealing in the Global South.

• Yoga Diplomacy and EU Values by Prof. Sara Acevedo Garzón explores yoga as a tool of soft power for India under Prime Minister Modi. Following the UN's International Yoga Day, this initiative aims to enhance cultural influence and diplomacy but has faced backlash from religious minorities and critics questioning its compatibility with secularism.

We are busy planning our first EU-VALUES conference on “Promoting Democracy and the Rule of Law – Global Perspectives” which will take place on the 5th and 6th of December 2024 at the University of Chile in Santiago. We look forward to welcoming participants to this significant event and will provide updates in our next issue. 

Thank you for reading this quarter’s round-up. We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback - do get in touch. Until next time, take care and stay informed!