Nicu POPESCU, Eurojournal.org: In the context of enlargement the European Union has to revise its policies towards its eastern neighbours. The present research identifies how the EU is changing its policies towards Moldova; what the assumptions are for developing new policy mechanisms and who the actors are behind certain policy changes. The present research argues that there are two main examples of foreign policy change in the EU’s approach to Moldova. The first is related to the development of the Wider Europe – Neighbourhood Policy. This policy change inherits a number of conceptual drawbacks from the previous EU approach to Moldova based on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and is mostly rhetorical. The second policy change is related to the EU’s approach to the settlement of the Transnistria conflict in Moldova. The EU has engaged in a more pro-active policy, both at a rhetorical and practical level. The divergent trends of a conservative approach in the Wider Europe case, as opposed to the increasingly pro-active policy on the Transnistria problem is explained by the institutional identities of the policy actors promoting the two policies. The European Commission is more cautious in its approach to the Wider Europe policy, while the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy is promoting a more active policy on Transnistria. The new EU approach on Moldova has larger implications for the EU’s role in its “near abroad” which affects the overall shape of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, as well as the identity of the enlarged EU.

European Union's Foreign Policy Change Towards Moldova (PDF)