The plan has however failed to include the grouping’s need to policy reforms towards its southern neighbors in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), whose economic and political difficulties constitute a burden for some members of the union. Luigi Scazzieri of the Centre for European Reform argues, in a recently published paper, that the pandemic, which hit hard Europe, has made a strategic rethink of the EU’s approach to its southern neighbors even more urgent. The EU’s offer should be tailored to each partner. For example, adoption of the EU’s internal market legislation could be limited to sectors that are particularly appealing to partner countries, Scazzieri suggests. Thirdly, Scazzieri further notes, The EU should grant ‘associate membership’ of the Union status to the MENA countries as incentive to spur further political and economic reforms.

Source: The North Africa Journal September 02, 2020 17:48 UTC