EU conditionality through long term development policies lenses

• Author: Nevila Mullaj
• Position: Logos University
• Pages: 342-348

ISSN 2410-759X Balkan Journal of Interdisciplinary Research Vol 1 No 1

Acces online at www.iipccl.org IIPCCL Publishing, Tirana-Albania May 2015

342

EU conditionality through long term development policies lenses

MSc Nevila Mullaj

Logos University

Abstract

Born on the frames of common trust, values and cooperation since the Treaty of Steel and Coal,

the European Union has developed its instruments to nance and develop the candidate countries,

before reaching the nal destination. As the European Union has outlined its key priorities,

enlargement remains one of the highest priorities for the economic and political aspect of this great

organization system. e political and economic agenda embrace the inclusion of the Western

Balkans, as prospective countries that should become a part of the European common market.

EU conditionality is considered to be the cornerstone of this enlargement process. e highway

to reach the European system of values is built through the liberalization processes, as well as

through the local development of the aspiring countries. EU conditionality takes another extent

as it faces with a variety of features in post communistic countries. Implementing structural

reforms represents the backbone of the EU policies. Improving economic eciency required

improvements in the local macroeconomic policies to sustain competition and the free market

system. Furthermore, where projects in infrastructure, healthcare or agriculture were introduced

new chances for unemployment reduction appeared. e EU through the FDI, played an essential

role in revitalizing the banking sector of these economies, inows and innovative investments

renewed the credit and brought positive eects in terms of nancial growth. Moreover, these

nancial institutions have contributed to smooth the transition from a centralized system, into

the free market economy. Consequently, the EU conditionality has contributed to remodel the

economic and politic vision of the aspiring countries, by bringing them closer to the development.

erefore, its main impact through the long term policies, in context of Europeanization it can be

evaluated through lenses of sustainable development.

Keywords: Conditionality, Europeanization, Structural reforms, FDI, Development.

Introduction

Enlargement is oen claimed to be the most successful foreign policy of the European

Union (EU). It is considered to have contributed to democratic consolidation, respect for

human rights, minority protection, conict resolution, and stability in Eastern Europe.

e EU’s political accession conditionality has been the cornerstone of this success. In

order to be eective, however, EU conditionality has to fall on fertile domestic ground. In

particular, when the political costs of compliance are high for the target government, that

is, when fullling EU conditions threatens the survival of the regime or the government,

even credible membership incentives prove ineective.

Backbone of eu integration

However, recent developments in the EU and its neighbouring countries give reason to

doubt whether the EU will be able to continue this successful policy into the future (see also

Epstein and Sedelmeier 2008). e EU is reluctant to extend a membership perspective

to further countries. According to its 2006 enlargement strategy, the EU will be ‘cautious

about assuming any new commitments’ (Commission 2006). Aer 2004, ‘enlargement