European Union's policies towards its Eastern neighbours within the context of European neighbourhood policy

After the big and successful enlargements occurred in 2004 and 2007, European Union (EU) has reached wider borders in Eastern Europe; and by the accessions of Eastern European countries once bordering with the European Union, it has obtained new neighbors. The EU hasn't provided membership perspective to these new neighbors located in Eastern Europe as it did for the Central and Eastern countries acceded to the Union in 2004 and 2007 and this has created the main problem. In order to overcome this problem, European Neighborhood Policy, which doesn't promise membership but offers a stronger economic, political and social integration, has been initiated. The European Neighborhood Policy, which was firstly designed only for 3 Eastern European countries, was then extended 16 countries including South Caucasian and South Mediterranean countries as well. The bilateral relations between the EU and Eastern neighbourhood countries within the context of European Neighbourhood Policy have gained a multilateral basis with the formation of complementary policies such as Black Sea Synergy and Eastern Partnership. By this way, platforms and forums, where multilateral negotiations and exchange of views of the countries will be conducted, have been established. Within this policy, EU, bringing forward some concepts such as democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms, and rule of law as preconditions in its relationship with its neighbors, provides financial support according to the progress of the countries in these areas. In this respect, the thesis examines the relationship between the EU and its Eastern neighbors and attempts to analyze the positive and negative aspects as well as the fundamental problems of the European Neighborhood Policy.