EU–Turkey Energy Dialogue: Moving Beyond the Accession Negotiations Framework

Energy has long been perceived as a policy field where mutual strategic interests could lead to progressive policy convergence and enhanced cooperation between the EU and Turkey. This chapter evaluates the evolution of energy relations between the EU and Turkey, starting from early 2000s, paying specific attention to the key energy policies and the main bilateral dynamics in place in the energy domain. It analyzes the energy profiles and interests of Brussels and Ankara in order to evaluate whether or not the EU and Turkey have adopted mutually beneficial initiatives that foster convergence between the parties. Despite Ankara’s attempt to link energy cooperation primarily to the accession negotiations process, the EU has been able to keep the two tracks separated through the launch of parallel institutional initiatives which led to progressive policy alignment as long as the bilateral political conditions allowed it to maintain a structured dialogue. In recent years, the stalemate in accession negotiations and the rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean brought EU–Turkey energy dialogue to its historical low. Bottom-up technical and regulatory collaboration represents the most effective way to progress in bilateral energy cooperation, by decoupling energy dialogue from the formal accession negotiation process and underplaying the effects of high level political conflicts.

Peculiarities of the process of integration of the republic of Albania to the European Union

The purpose of the article is to explore the process of joining Albania to the European Union in the mainstream of the lands of the Western Balkans became members of the united Europe. The preconditions and development of the process of formation of European integration in the Republic of Albania analyzed. Is undertaken an attempt at the analysis of the real possibilities of Albania to be taken in the European Union and the interest of this integrated association to maintain double-sided cooperation with Albania, in spite of the absence of necessary economic, political and other bases for its adoption in the European Union. Special attention is given to the domestic and foreign policy developments in the Republic of Albania, which directly influenced Albania’s cooperation with the European Union before and after the beginning of the active euro-integration dialogue. Special emphasis made on an overview of the most important issues and problematic moments on determining the start of the EU accession negotiation process with Albania. The methodology of the research based on the principles of systemicity, authenticity, historicism, logics. General scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special-historical (historical-typological, historical-system) methods have been used. The scientific novelty is that for the first time the European integration of Albania studied separately from other countries of the Western Balkans. The studies concluded that Albania’s desire to join the European Union linked to its desire to stabilize the country, modernize the domestic political system, improve the economic situation, facilitate the solution of social problems, participate in the mechanism of redistribution of financial resources, to enhance its political status by taking advantage of the benefits of membership in this organization. As for the EU’s position, official Brussels is pursuing a rather restrained and balanced policy of expanding its borders.

EU COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY AND AGRICULTURAL POLICY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)

One of the most challenging issues for the countries that are in the process ofaccession to the European Union is the reform of agriculture, precisely agriculturalpolicy and its compliance with the Common Agricultural Policy of the EuropeanUnion (CAP). The strategic orientation of the Republic of Srpska and Bosnia andHerzegovina is a full EU member status, which is defined with signatory to theStabilization and Accession Agreement in 2008 and confirmed with Applicationfor membership in the European Union, submitted in February 2016. Consideringthe upcoming accession negotiation process, the reformation of agricultural sectoris necessary in all areas of development: production, policy and legal frameworkand institutional development. Until 2015 Republic Srpska made and adopted twokey strategic documents that determine the directions, objectives and measures fordeveloping of agriculture and rural areas. Recently the Republic of Srpska adopteda new strategic plan for the development of agriculture and rural areas for theperiod 2016- 2020. Considering that agriculture budget represents a first indicatorof the countries sector priorities, objective of this paper is to provide analysis ofagricultural policy through the agricultural budget of the Republic of Srpska and itscompliance with Common Agricultural Policy of the EU. Comparative analysis isrelated to the period 2006 – 2014 using EU methodology for the classification ofagricultural measures (pillars and axis). Research results show that the structure ofmeasures and scope of budgetary support, defined within agricultural policy of theRepublic of Srpska is not compatible with Common Agricultural Policy of the EU.