Ukraine: "Action!" - The action plans of the EU's Neighbourhood Policy

The European Commission and Council are endeavouring, by means of their European Neighbourhood Policy, to offer countries in Eastern Europe, in the Caucasus, and on the southern shores of the Mediterranean a closer relationship with the EU that does not go as far as full membership. The action plans the Commission has now presented for Ukraine and Moldova are intended to be the central element in this policy. However, these plans do not do what they are supposed to do, i.e. set out clear priorities in terms of policies and timescales and establish conditionality. The plans could more accurately be described as fairly comprehensive lists of tasks to be carried out by the partner states, without anything being demanded in return from the EU and without any clear sequence for the steps to be taken. There is a danger that the action plans will not be able to meet the expectations to which they have given rise.