The EU “Eastern Partnership” Policy: Economy Versus Politics

 
PIIS013122270023634-8-1
DOI10.20542/0131-2227-2022-66-12-27-37
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Affiliation: Moscow State Institute of International Relations, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MGIMO University)
Address: 76, Vernadskogo Prosp., Moscow, 119454, Russian Federation
Affiliation:
Moscow State Institute of International Relations, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MGIMO University)
Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences (IE RAS)
Address: 76, Vernadskogo Prosp., Moscow, 119454, Russian Federation; 11-3, Mokhovaya Str., Moscow, 125009, Russian Federation
Affiliation:
Moscow State Institute of International Relations, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MGIMO University)
Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences (IE RAS)
Address: 76, Vernadskogo Prosp., Moscow, 119454, Russian Federation; 11-3, Mokhovaya Str., Moscow, 125009, Russian Federation
Journal nameMirovaia ekonomika i mezhdunarodnye otnosheniia
EditionVolume 66 Issue 12
Pages27-37
Abstract

The Eastern Partnership as one the European Union’s external activities is rarely analyzed through the prism of financing. At the same time, the analysis of instruments, volumes, dynamics and structure of financing allows not only to assess the efficiency of the funds spent in partner countries, but also to identify the real place of the Eastern Partnership in the structure of the EU foreign policy priorities. The aim of the study is to define the true role of partnership in the foreign policy of the Union. Analyzing the main directions and instruments of financing has resulted in a number of conclusions. Firstly, in terms of funding, the Eastern Partnership is inferior in importance not only to other countries and regions, which receive financial aid within the framework of the EU official development assistance, but also to the Southern Neighborhood. Secondly, the evolution of instruments has led to a further decrease in this role and the actual dissolution of financing the Eastern Partnership in the system of the EU official development assistance. Hence, we can conclude that the political component prevails over the economic one in case of the Eastern Partnership. Thirdly, the recipient countries within the framework of the program are clearly divided into two groups, based on the intensity of funding, and a larger amount of funds correlates not so much with the fulfillment of economic conditions, but with political loyalty and a demonstration of a pro-European foreign policy vector. Fourthly, even in the main beneficiary countries, the effectiveness of financing is very limited, since it does not lead to implementation of the stated goals. All this allows us to draw the key conclusion that the EU, within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, continues to build global regimes, the neighborhood being one of them. That is why the financing is aimed rather at stabilizing this neighborhood than at its active development.

KeywordsEuropean Union, Eastern Partnership, European Neighborhood Policy, financing, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Poland
AcknowledgmentThe article has been supported by a grant of the Institute for International Studies, MGIMO University. Project no. 2022-02-01
Received25.03.2022
Publication date14.12.2022
Number of characters31116
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ВВЕДЕНИЕ

2 2021 год стал новой вехой не только в бюджетной политике Европейского союза, но и в одном из ее внешних измерений – политике “Восточного партнерства” (ВП), будущее которой декларировалось институтами ЕС как весьма оптимистичное [ист. 1]. Однако, несмотря на официальную риторику, программа “Восточное партнерство”, будучи частью Европейской политики соседства (ЕПС), остается достаточно дискуссионной как с политической, так и с экономической точки зрения. Цель настоящей статьи – выявить особенности инструментов финансирования ВП со стороны ЕС, что позволит определить его реальное место в структуре внешнеполитических приоритетов Европейского союза. Для достижения этой цели предполагается оценить широкий спектр существующих институтов и механизмов финансирования на уровне Союза, а также на уровне стран-членов (в качестве примера выбрана Польша).
3 Сложность анализа заключается в том, что программа “Восточного партнерство” финансируется из нескольких источников. Основные средства поступают непосредственно из бюджета ЕС. Речь идет об Инструменте европейской политики соседства и партнерства (European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, ENPI), который существовал с 2007 г. и в 2014 г. был заменен на Инструмент европейского соседства (European Neighbourhood Instrument, ENI) – до 2020 г. К числу основных целей Инструмента относились: поддержка демократических преобразований в странах-партнерах, поддержка становления рыночной экономики в странах – участницах ВП, содействие устойчивому социально-экономическому развитию.
4 В функционировании программы “Восточного партнерства” важную роль играют также международные финансовые институты, связанные с ЕС, такие как Европейский инвестиционный банк (ЕИБ) и Европейский банк реконструкции и развития (ЕБРР). ЕИБ постепенно увеличивает объемы финансирования программ в странах ВП. В рамках инструмента “Трастовый фонд технической помощи Восточного партнерства” (The Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund, EPTATF) объем финансирования вырос с 230 млн евро в 2007 г. до 9.336 млрд евро в 2019 г. [ист. 2], это около 718 млн евро в год. Более 90% выделенных средств были адресованы Украине, Грузии и Молдавии.
5 ЕБРР с начала своей деятельности выделил более 28.8 млрд евро на финансирование проектов, реализуемых в странах “Восточного партнерства” [ист. 3]: поддержку малого бизнеса, стимулирование экономических реформ, улучшение инфраструктуры и муниципальных услуг, продвижение “зеленой” энергетики.
6 Следует также отметить, что финансирование программы ВП может происходить из внебюджетных источников, за счет финансовых средств стран, входящих в Европейское экономическое пространство, а также международными организациями и компаниями.
7 Страны Евросоюза также оказывают поддержку государствам “Восточного партнерства” в рамках международной помощи развитию на двусторонней основе.

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