Abstract
In this essay I will deal with the European Neighborhood Policy, through a general overview of what this policy consists in. The most useful source that was used to elaborate on this subject is the website of the European Commission, which is one of the major players in the implementation of the European Neighborhood Policy. The European Neighborhood policy consists of an important action in the external relations of the European Union, even though it is a quite recent policy, as it was first outlined in March 2003 in the Commission Communication on Wider Europe. This policy is really new and original concerning the external relations of the European Union. Indeed before 2004 enlargement the EU had no concrete or coherent policy towards its neighbors. Each member-state of EU was following its own political line, towards the neighbor countries on which he had the most influence. For example France was applying its own policy towards the North African countries in the name of EU, Spain was responsible of the policy towards the South American States, and the British aim was to have better relations with the United States and at the same time Germany was trying to represent the interests of the Eastern European countries.
