MOVE>>SEE-SC

The agenda of the research project MOVE>>SEE-SC was informed by two interrelated processes. On the one hand, the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty brought about drastic changes in the European Union’s (EU's) competential as well as institutional structure concerning the relations to its Eastern neighbors. These changes call for a closer examination, but also provide the opportunity to re-visit established policies (Enlargement, European Neighborhood Policy and/or Eastern Partnership). In addition, the EU decided to reinforce the external dimension of its Area of Freedom, Security and Justice and to use the new and more efficient procedures for the conclusion of agreements introduced by the Lisbon Treaty vis-à-vis third countries. On the other hand, Moldova and the countries of the Southern Caucasus decided, albeit to a different extent, to move forward in their policies regarding EU integration. The Partnership and Cooperation Agreements that were concluded with these countries date back to the 90ies and are generally seen as needing revision. As these countries wish to lift their EU integration to a higher level, their goal is now the conclusion of fundamentally new (association) agreements with the EU. The Republic of Georgia even established a Ministry of European Integration. This legal and political starting point provided the need to examine the given template of problems and solutions in the light of other regional EU integration experience, most notably the EU’s pre-accession strategy regarding South Eastern Europe. Within 2012 – 2015 different workshops were held and their results were finally translated into an edited volume: Thomas Krüssman (Ed.), Moving beyond the Kosovo Precedent, (Wien: LIT Publishers, 2015).