‘New’ member States and the European Neighbourhood Policy

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Analysing the participation of « new » member States to the EU during the creation and the evolution of the European Neighbourhood Policy not only shows that Europe’s enlargement has influenced the candidates’ foreign policy between 2004 and 2007, but that the latter’s foreign policy conceptions have progressively been able to fit in the EU’s foreign relations. This process has begun even before the date of official membership. The new member States’ foreign policy is characterised by very heterogeneous attitudes, in spite of their interest for sometimes common themes. Beyond the 1989 divide, there still lay elements of continuity with the past that should definitely be given more importance when launching sub-regional initiatives such as Black Sea Synergy or the Eastern Partnership.