The European Union's Policy in the South Caucasus : In Search of a Strategy

The paper questions the capacity of the European Union to influence developments in the South Caucasus – more specifically, to diffuse its norms and to act as a security supplier – against the current EU policy toolbox and objectives. It argues that the EU's influence stumbles on the lack of hard security tools and its reluctance to use negative conditionality. At the same time, EU approaches towards the South Caucasus have been deeply affected by local and regional developments. First, the EU's role has been strongly constrained by the intervention of other regional powers, primarily Russia. Second, deep differences and conflicts between the three countries have also prevented the Union from effectively utilizing its traditional support for regional cooperation