eu commission on arab spring

7/31/2019 EU Commission on Arab Spring

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What is at stake?

We are in a period of historic change in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA). It is a

moment of huge opportunity, for the people of the Middle East & North Africa to build

more open societies based on the rule of law, with greater access to justice and economic

opportunity. If this succeeds, it could see the greatest gain for human rights and freedom

since the end of the Cold War. If, on the other hand, the Arab Spring falters it risks

dangerous instability on Europes doorstep, a collapse back into more authoritarian regimes,conflict and terrorism.

What are the facts?

The underlying causes of the Arab Spring remain: a population that is overwhelmingly young

and energetic, lacking jobs and a voice in their own societies. But without social, political and

economic reform, the regions human development challenges will grow.

- Corruption has been identified as the top driver of public discontent. Transparency

International note that corruption is prevalent and widespread in the MENA countries,

manifesting itself most frequently in the shape of both petty and grand corruption.

- According to UN estimates, the Arab countries will be home to some 395 million people

by 2015 (compared to about 317 million in 2007, and 150 million in 1980). The mostevident and challenging aspect of the regions demographic profile is its youth bulge.Young people are the fastest growing segment of Arab countries populations. Some 60per cent of the population is under 25 years old, making this one of the most youthful

regions in the world, with a median age of 22 years compared to a global average of 28.

- This young population has utilised new social media tools such as Facebook and Skype,

the internet and satellite television and have now been exposed to modernising forces.

Consequently, a gulf has opened up between this young population and existing, some

may regard oppressive, regimes who are unable to deliver opportunities or the reality of

a better way of life to their respective populations.

- Existing regimes fear the loss of power. They play their opponents one off another.

When faced with internal unrest they pay off that dissenting voice. Tribal/clan politics

play a big part in the region and should not be underestimated.

- UNDP Human Development Index for the region shows a steady upward move to a more

urban population across the whole region.

- This matters to the EUs security and prosperity. The region is of strategic importance tothe EU not only in economic terms (trade, energy and migration) but also politically

(stability and security). As an example, more than 20,000 migrants, mostly economic,

mainly from Tunisia and, to a lesser extent from other African countries, have managed

European Commission Position Paper to Mock Council of the EU 2011

Arab Spring: what should the EU be doing to encourage democracy and

growth in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East?


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to enter the EU irregularly, reaching the shores of Italy (most to the island of Lampedusa)

and Malta, both of which are under strong migratory pressure.

What is the EU doing?

One of the EUs greatest achievements was the integration of Eastern Europe after thecollapse of the Soviet Union. EU political and practical support was key in creating stable,friendly and prosperous partners, and new members of the EU. The EU has since been

working to support its neighbours to the east and the south through the European

Neighbourhood Policy, its main policy instrument for relations with that region, which has

been refocused since the Arab Spring:

- The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) was developed in 2004, with the objective of

avoiding the emergence of new dividing lines between the enlarged EU and our

neighbours and instead strengthening the prosperity, stability and security of all. This

ENP framework is proposed to the 16 of EU's closest neighbours Algeria,Armenia,

Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco,Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia and Ukraine.

- Baroness Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security

Policy/Commission Vice-President and tefan Fle, EU Commissioner for Enlargementand Neighbourhood Policy, launched a new and ambitious European Neighbourhood

Policy (ENP) on 25 May 2011 following a years long review. On top of the 5.7 billionalready allocated for the period 2011-2013, additional funding of 1.24 billion has beentransferred from other existing resources. This represents an ambitious offer to

Neighbourhood partners, holding out the prospect of substantial assistance and profound

integration in return for meaningful political and economic reforms.

- On 10 June Baroness Ashton suggested the appointment of an EU Special

Representative (EUSR) for the Southern Mediterranean, as part of the EUs response tothe Arab Spring. The EUSR will enhance political dialogue between the EU and the

Southern Mediterranean region, improving the EUs effectiveness, presence andvisibility. The EUSR will work to strengthen democracy, the rule of law and good

governance in the region, with particular focus on implementing the EUs human rightspolicy.

- In 2010 the EU allocated a total of 1.18 billion to the MENA region through the EU

Instrument for Democracy and Human rights, EU Development Cooperation Instrumentand the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument.

- In 2010, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the EUs financing institution, invested arecord 2.6 billion, a 60% increase on 2009, in countries under the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP), which covers Algeria, Egypt,

Gaza/West Bank, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia. Total lending

since 2002 has reached some 12 billion. About half that financing went to the privatesector, which is a priority alongside the creation of an investment friendly environment in

the region. This helped to support some 2,150 SMEs creating more than 30,000 jobs.The Bank is the biggest development lender in North Africa.
http://www.eeas.europa.eu/algeria/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/armenia/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/azerbaijan/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/belarus/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/egypt/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/georgia/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/israel/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/jordan/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/lebanon/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/libya/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/moldova/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/morocco/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/occupied_palestinian_territory/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/syria/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/tunisia/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/ukraine/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/ukraine/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/tunisia/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/syria/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/occupied_palestinian_territory/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/morocco/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/moldova/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/libya/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/lebanon/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/jordan/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/israel/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/georgia/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/egypt/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/belarus/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/azerbaijan/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/armenia/index_en.htmhttp://www.eeas.europa.eu/algeria/index_en.htm


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- The Development Co-operation Instrument (DCI) has a global budget of 17 billion forthe period 2007-2013. Along with other regions, the DCI covers EU assistance to

Yemen, Iraq and Iran.

Should the EU do more?

The EU has many policy instruments at its disposal trade, access to markets, financialsupport to elections, infrastructure investment, agriculture, health, youth and educational

exchanges and, in future, mobility partnerships. Could more use be made of the full range of

instruments?

What next?

The EU now has to implement the revised European Neighbourhood Policy. This will involve

negotiating action plans with Partner countries in the MENA region, setting out the EUs offerto that country and the conditions that country will have to meet in order to receive support

from the EU. The EU will also have to ensure that its member-states fulfil the EUscommitments under the ENP, especially improved market access for good from the region.

Questions to consider

1. What more could the EU offer to support the Arab Spring?

2. Is the EU using the full range of instruments that it has to help the region?

3. Is it right to attach political conditions (such as a commitment to reform) to EU support?

4. How much should the EU set the agenda on what it does to support the Arab Spring, and

how much should it be listening to voices from the region? Who should those voices be?

Other useful information (you should also do your own research)

Transparency International:http://www.transparency.org/

United Nations Development Programme: http://arabstates.undp.org/subpage.php?spid=14

European Neighbourhood Policy: http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/welcome_en.htm

European Investment Bank: http://www.eib.org/

EuropeAid: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/index_en.htm

The European Neighbourhood Policy. Council of the EU:http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/98790.pdf

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdf

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/80951.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com03_104_en.pdf
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/98790.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/98790.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/80951.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/80951.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com03_104_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com03_104_en.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/80951.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/80951.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/98790.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/98790.pdf


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http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com_11_303_en.pdf



http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/strategy/strategy_paper_en.pdf

Task Force for the Southern Mediterranean.

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122454.pdf

A Partnership for Democracy and Shared Prosperity with the SouthernMediterranean.

http://eeas.europa.eu/euromed/docs/com2011_200_en.pdf

European Endowment for Democracy.

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdf

The European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights.

Council of the EU::

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:386:0001:0011:EN:PDF
http://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com_11_303_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com07_774_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com06_726_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/strategy/strategy_paper_en.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122454.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122454.pdfhttp://eeas.europa.eu/euromed/docs/com2011_200_en.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdfhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:386:0001:0011:EN:PDFhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:386:0001:0011:EN:PDFhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:386:0001:0011:EN:PDFhttp://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:386:0001:0011:EN:PDFhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122917.pdfhttp://eeas.europa.eu/euromed/docs/com2011_200_en.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122454.pdfhttp://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/122454.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/strategy/strategy_paper_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com06_726_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com07_774_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/world/enp/pdf/com_11_303_en.pdf

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