The European Union and Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion James W. Scott Leibniz-Institute for Regional Development and

1. The European Union and Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion James W. Scott Leibniz-Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning, Erkner, Germany International conference Warsaw, 20-22 September, 2007 Regional Development in Central and Eastern Europe Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

2. Research Focus • How do tensions between “Europeanisation” and local contexts manifest themselves in border regions ? • What opportunities does the EU (e.g. ENP) offer for local/regional CBC? • How do EU policies and CBC affect the perception of borders and neighbours? Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

3. EUDIMENSIONSEUDIMENSIONS (CIT5-028804) is supported by the EU’s Sixth Framework Programme under PRIORITY 7, Area 4.2.1 “New Borders, New Visions of Neighbourhood”. Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

4. EXLINEALines of Exclusion as Arenas of Co-operation: Reconfiguring the External Boundaries of Europe Policies, Practices, Perceptions EU 5th Framework Programme, HPSE-CT-2002-00141 Key Action: “Improving the Socio-economic Knowledge Base” Citizenship, governance and the dynamics of European integration and enlargement Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

5. How to Judge EU Role in Developing the “New” Borderlands? • With regard to political opportunities for communities and civil society to participate in economic and social development • Promoting “mental cohesion” between the EU and neighbouring (non-EU) regions Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

6. Example: Geopolitics of Europeanisation • Neighbourhood Policy (ENP): quasi-integration without membership • Community of shared (EU) values • Development of a transcontinental market • Securitisation, extension of EU border perimeter • Promoting EU exceptionalism (a force for good in the world) Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

7. CBC and Neighbourhood Policies • Develop contexts and capacities for “region-building” along EU external borders • Reduce negative locational factors associated with national borders (peripherality trap) • Transcend historical legacies of division Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

8. Problems Related to CBC Contexts • INTERREG logics of CBC (institutions, structured cooperation, strategic approach) informed by enlargement – difficult to transfer to Neighbourhood contexts • Processes of exclusion in tension with more inclusionary aspects of EU policies Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

9. INTERREG = Internal Consolidation

10. Inclusionary Discourses of Neighbourhood • “Positive” political and economic interdependence forms basis for regional partnerships and political community • Free trade as long term goal • Co-operation in areas of culture, social development • Human rights a means to enhance non-exploitational and “equitable” geopolitics Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

11. Inclusion Through • More efficient and targeted cooperation resources (single instrument) • Greater interaction with neighbours in policy development (Partnership Agreements and Action Plans) Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

12. However, “Exclusion” Takes Several Forms: • In Eastern and Southern contexts, partnerships subject to cultural contradictions and protectionism • This is exacerbated by increasing (post 9/11 Madrid, London) securitisation of EU external borders • Discrimination against many sectors of regional population (visas, border checks) Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

13. Exclusion promoted by • A sense of “zonation” of EU, New EU, “Wider”-European and non-European neighbours based on particularisms, neo-liberalism and prejudices (John Agnew 2002). • Conditionality: convergence towards EU models, serving EU interests prerequisites for partnership • Unilateral projections of “European values” onto “non-EU” and beyond Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

14. Given This, How is CBC Developing at the External Borders? • Borders are generally seen as an opportunity by CBC stakeholders and local people • Hindered by perceived differences between what EU promises and delivers Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

15. Local Cooperation Patterns • Role of Civil Society and NGOs is vital: bridges institutional gaps, builds local capacities • International CS networks as well as EU are important motivators of cooperation and border region development • Areas: health, poverty, culture, religion; in some cases economic development and ethnic minorities are main vectors Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

16. Evolving Cooperation Contexts • Little institutional support for CBC • ENP lacks focus on Civil Society and its CBC role • Civilisational discourses damage perceptions of Europe • New Schengen borders embody and symbolise exclusion Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

17. Emerging European Borderlands Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

18. Civil Society Networks in Transcarpathia Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

19. New, “Efficient” Borders Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

20. Borderlands as European Peripheries Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

21. Potentials…. Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

22. Renaissance of Local Communities Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

23. EU and the Neighbourhood: Conclusions • EU’s role as moderniser and catalyst for development is indisputable • EU promotion of regional neighbourhoods most successful in pragmatic terms • However is EU is engaged in geopolitical “bordering” manifested by identity politics (“we”/”them”) and conditionality (who is more like the EU) Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

24. What Might This Indicate? • A much stronger, nuanced and contextually sensitive engagement of CS is needed • Limits to the EU’s Europeanisation strategy: selective appeal to specific groups • Avoid civilisational divides by addressing more clearly the geopolitical concerns of the Neighbours • Universality of CBC models an illusion: pragmatic and ethical balance is the challenge Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion

25. Thank You for Your Kind Attention! Borders of Inclusion and Exclusion