Dr Tamar GAMKRELIDZE Publishes an Article on the EU's Engagement with its Neighbourhoods

Dr Tamar GAMKRELIDZE published a peer-reviewed article titled When and How the ‘Neighbours’ Matter: ‘Immediate’ Opportunity Structures in the Eastern Neighbourhood and Policy Frame-Alignment by the EU. The article was published in "Contemporary Politics Journal".

The paper explores the external opportunity structures of the EU's eastern neighbours during periods of heightened security threats. The research examines when and how these opportunities influence EU engagement and shape policy alignment during periods of high security threat.

Introducing the concept of an "immediate" opportunity structure, the study concludes that the EU's decisions to initiate or modify policy frameworks towards Eastern neighborhood countries are driven by security-related opportunities present at the time of decision-making. Additionally, the EU's willingness to engage is contingent on whether the regional security threat directly impacts the Union's security architecture. As the political environment in the neighbourhood becomes more open and concessions increase, the EU intensifies its engagement, which is reflected in policy alignment. The paper argues that the EU strategy prioritizes immediate opportunity structures because addressing immediate opportunities is seen as a way to establish long-term opportunity structures. 

You can read the article here.

Please note that the views expressed in this publication are those of the author, and do not represent the official position of the College of Europe.