From EMP to ENP: What’s at Stake with the European Neighbourhood Policy towards the Southern Mediterranean?

For almost a decade, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) has been the main venue for the EU's relations to its southern periphery. Involving most countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean sea, the EMP covers different aspects of regional and bilateral cooperation in the realms of politics and security, economics, and social and cultural affairs (Barcelona Declaration, 1995).' Compared to the overly ambitious aim of the Partnership of creating an area of peace, prosperity, and stability, the achievements have been modest, and the EMP has been criticized on different accounts.^ In the literature, there may be some disagreement on what constitutes the most serious flaw of the EMP. However, most observers would agree that the EMP did not live up to the expectations the initiative raised when it was launched in November 1995. This also implies that the EMP's contribution to economic