Negotiating the new Europe: the European Union and Eastern Europe

Book abstract:

This book deals with the European Union's (EU) relationship with Eastern Europe since the disintegration of communism in the Gorbachev era in 1985 and the collapse of the Cold War in 1989. This was a time when Europe was pushing for greater integration and enlargement itself. Following the political and economic problems in Eastern Europe after the Soviet decline, the burden of stability and reform fell increasingly on the European Community (EC), and this book provides both a historical and theoretical account of these developments, paying particular attention to European agreements with Eastern Europe from 1990 onwards.

The work is divided into three parts. Part one, on the 'negotiation of the first wave of Europe agreements, deals with situating the Association agreements in a theoretical perspective, and asks why they became such an important EC strategy, along with work on the rules and the outcomes of these agreements. In part two, on the second wave of agreements, there is a detailed exploration of Bulgaria and Romania, and in particular the problem of why they were initially refused entry into the so-called 'Association Game', as well as an interrogation of the role of bargaining for entry into this 'game'. Lastly, in part three, on the subject of EU agreements, expansion Eastwards and the EU's role in the Balkans, there is research on the long-term consequences of the EC's strategy in this part of Europe, especially in terms of assessing its effectiveness in providing stability for an area in constant upheaval.

The book is aimed at academics, students and practitioners with interests in both the European Union as a whole and the question of Eastern Europe.