The Horizon 2020 project SEnECA has released three policy papers which contain a profound analysis of the current relations between the five Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) and the European Union (on supranational and national level). The analyses are based on the SEnECA mapping papers on EU-Central Asia relations that have been already published in 2018. The three new papers are complemented by 22 semi-structured interviews with representatives of Central Asian academic institutions, non-governmental organisations, businesses, and governmental agencies. The papers focus on political and security relations (paper no. 10), economic and trade relations (paper no. 11), and culture, identity and civil society (paper no. 12). You can find the analysis policy papers on the project website: https://www.seneca-eu.net/policy-papers-briefs/.
The analysis papers are the second phase in the three-phase-approach of developing the SEnECA Policy Roadmap for future priorities for EU policy-making towards Central Asia (mapping – analysis – recommendations). They evaluate the implementation of the EU’s and its member states’ Central Asia policies. The papers also offers an evaluation of other actors’ presence in and engagement with Central Asian countries and outline the EU’s comparative advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the analyses provide insights into the perception of the EU’s/EU member states’ policies in Central Asia. Thus, the papers suggest how certain EU policies can be improved. The time frame of the analysis is 2007-2018, a timeline that takes into account the inception of the EU’s first Strategy for Central Asia.
The project “SEnECA – Strengthening and Energizing EU-Central Asia Relations” seeks to improve research cooperation and to strengthen capacities in research and policy advice in the EU and Central Asia. It comprises an international consortium with twelve partner organizations, including TEPSA, from the EU and all five Central Asian countries. The project is led by Prof. Dr Michael Kaeding, Professor for European politics at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), and Dr Katrin Böttger, Director of the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP). The project is funded with around 1.5 million Euros under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme for a period of two years.
Further information:
UDE: Prof. Dr Michael Kaeding, Jean Monnet Chair for European Integration and European Union Politics, Tel. +49 (0)203 379-2050, michael.kaeding@uni-due.de
IEP: Dr Katrin Böttger, Tel. +49 (0)30 889134-21, katrin.boettger@iep-berlin.de