The Relevance of Norms and Values in the EU´s Russia Policy

Abstract:

This paper takes a look at one central factor in Russia’s normative entanglement with Europe: its relationship with the European Union. This is done mainly from the Union’s vantage point.

The paper sets to achieve two objectives. Firstly, it seeks to open the normative basis – the role of norms and values – in EU’s Russia policy. The analysis that follows is based on a distinction between them where values are the higher order principles related to the conduct of both international and domestic politics in Europe whereas norms relate to more technical issues, such as pieces of Community legislation or standards and certificates. It is argued that the EU’s normative framework in effect forms the parameters to Russia’s interaction and even integration with (although perhaps not into) the European structures and the EU.

Furthermore it is argued that the function of norms and values as such parameters is a source of increasing friction between the EU and Russia, as Moscow has started to challenge both the appropriateness and the legitimacy of these principles for its own future development.