Evidence-Based Policy Research to Inform the ENP: Five Recommendations for Europe and its Neighbours

Motivated by neoliberal normativism, the ENP drew on a now outdated mix of political and economic reasoning that does not reflect recent scientific evidence on regional development, and is compromised by having been formulated at arms-length from implementing contexts. An expansion of the ENP discourse that builds upon research findings and sustained feedback with field experts in neighbourhood countries is thought to increase the probability of long-term policy success. Rather than trade liberalisation as the primary stimulant, the results specifically suggest innovation support as the default strategy, and migration policy structures to back labour and capital flows.
Keywords: European Neighbourhood Policy, ENP, evidence-based policy, EU innovation policy, EU migration policy