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Roland Dannreuther (ed), European Union Foreign and Security Policy: Towards a Neighborhood Strategy (London ; Routledge, 2004). ISBN 0415322987, 256 pp. As the European Union enlarges eastwards and increases its presence in the Mediterranean, the countries that make up its "neighborhood" are increasingly more diverse. Each region presents the EU with unique challenges and opportunities. European Union Foreign and Security Policy: Towards a Neighborhood Strategy, edited by Roland Dannreuther, examines the policies that the EU has taken with its diverse set of neighbors, and also touches on broader themes such as energy policy and the transatlantic relationship. The main critique of this book is that it is mostly descriptive. While it clearly lays out the developments of EU policy in each region, it would be interesting to have some analysis of where the policy seems to be headed and the merits of different options. Where does it make sense to end the enlargement of the EU? What are concrete alternatives to membership to maintain influence in countries that do not have the prospect of joining the EU? These questions are difficult to answer, but some kind of speculative analysis would give this book a greater role in future policy formation. The regions surrounding the EU each require a different approach, making it difficult to speak of one overarching strategy for the neighborhood policy. This book avoids making such grand generalizations. It is nearly impossible to talk about a single neighborhood policy. Treating each region separately helps to explain the complexities of the EU's foreign policy. The countries that are lumped together under the heading of "neighborhood policy" are incredibly diverse with respect to both their national characteristics and historical relationships with the EU and its member states. It is much more useful to look at strategy within a region, and sometimes even at the national level. While the book does not deal with the formation of EU foreign policy directly, it does a good job of exploring the different foreign policy tools at the disposal of the EU, and does not limit the analysis to the Common Foreign and Security Policy. It also considers national foreign policies and economic programs. In addition, the book explains some of the underlying factors in the formation of EU foreign policy, such as competition with member states' own foreign policies, lack of coordination between pillars, and competing regional concerns. Close relationships or specific interests between particular EU member states and countries in the EU's neighborhood often drive EU foreign policy initiatives. A prime example of this is the Northern Dimension program that emerged after the accession of Finland and Sweden to draw attention to that region at a time when most EU policies were directed towards Mediterranean countries. The EU has a good grasp on how to induce change in future member states, but it does not have a clear strategy or defined role with respect to those states that are not potential members. Membership in the EU is seen as the "golden carrot" that can induce countries to undertake large reform projects. In Eastern and Central Europe there was general consensus that those states would become members and the states themselves were focused on that goal. A significant amount of energy and resources have also been devoted to the Balkans because, despite how far away it may seem now, there is common agreement that those countries should become members of the EU. As the potential for membership diminishes, so does the EU's influence in a country. This can be seen in the states emerging after the fall of the Soviet Union, especially Ukraine . Ukraine has decided that its goal is membership in the EU, while the EU has not been willing to commit to this as of yet. This has diminished the influence of the EU in bringing about reforms in Ukraine. The ambiguous nature of the approach pursued in certain regions is sometimes intentional. On the one hand, it would be much easier if the EU delineated the limits of enlargement, but at the same time it does not always want to write off its most effective incentive – future membership. Regardless of potential for membership, the EU has a strong interest in promoting development and stability in its neighbors, as outlined in the chapter on energy security. The EU relies on energy imports from countries on its periphery, making the domestic situations in these countries key to the EU's economy. The countries in the Caucasus, Central Asia, and North Africa are not likely candidates for EU membership in the near future, so the incentive of membership is off the table. The EU thus has to work on developing other incentives, "silver and bronze carrots," for these countries. A middle tier of programs, similar to a system of concentric circles with EU involvement and influence decreasing as you move farther from the center, needs to be established. This would help avoid creating a dividing line, referred to in the book as a "welfare curtain" or "fortress Europe ", between the EU and its neighbors. The strength of this book lies in the author's ability to bring order to the numerous pieces that constitute the EU's policies towards its neighbors. By starting with the area with which the EU has the most coherent policy, Central and Eastern Europe, and then moving outwards, the reader can understand how the policies relate to one another and why different approaches have been taken with different regions. This framework makes the EU's actions not seem as random and haphazard. Catherine Dalton
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