The Mediterranean policy of the EU after the Arab Spring, and the renewed ENP

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the Mediterranean policy of the European Union. For decades the EU Mediterranean policy has had the goal of promoting cooperation between the EU and the partner States placed along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Although after the Arab uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa the attention of the EU turned towards the Mediterranean Partner States, and the financial support was increased by the EU, the Mediterranean policy of the EU is still criticised by experts. In 2016, more than 20 years after the launch of the Barcelona Process, under the pressure of the increasing refugees and migration crisis in the Mediterranean area, and when fragile and failing states are a serious challenge for EU foreign policy it is obvious that the European stability is not separable from the regional security, political stability and sustainable economic development of the Mediterranean area. The experiences of the last 20 years, but specially the controversial events of the Arab Spring also show us clearly that due to the low level of financial support provided by the EU and the different foreign policy interests of MSs, the EU’s Mediterranean policy focusing on stability aspects rather than democracy aspects has had a low impact on the democratisation and securitisation processes of the region. In many cases the EU has struggled to tackle these challenges collectively and has shown divisions among the MS.