THE EUROPEAN SOFT-POWER DIMENSION IN THE EASTERN NEIGHBOURHOOD

In a world where hard-power has become increasingly counterproductive (witness the recent Arab Spring), soft-power has gained much importance and is now regarded as an important and comprehensive indicator of national power. The EU is being perceived in the world as an important and influential international actor, but with very different connotations. The aim of this study is to explore how the EU promotes its model of soft-power towards Eastern Neighbourhood and if the EU’s power of attraction has applied or continues to apply to its neighbours to the East. Firstly, the article investigates the soft-power conceptual framework. Secondly, it focuses upon the EU’s contribution to good governance, democracy, economic prosperity and security for a successful cooperation in the Eastern Neighbourhood, through the Eastern Partnership. Moreover, there is an emphasis on competition between the EU and Russia regarding the promotion of soft-power in Eastern Europe. The third part presents the evolution of the EU-EaP states relationship and the Eastern responds and perceptions of the key areas on the EaP policy: the EU’s promotion of liberty, democracy and human rights, the EU’s role in trade relations and the EU’s policy in the field of peace and security. Finally, the fourth part presents the conclusions, where the results and tendencies of the EaP policy are estimated. The research has shown that the EU’s attention on and involvement in the Eastern Neighbourhood has grown and that the EU had the ability to influence the developments in the region and consequently had significant soft-power vis-a-vis those countries.