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Book Review: EU Development Cooperation: From Model to Symbol , edited by Karin Arts and Anna K. Dickson. (MUP, Manchester, 2004)

Book Review: EU Development Cooperation: From Model to Symbol , edited by Karin Arts and Anna K.... European Foreign Affairs Review 11: 129­138, 2006. © 2006 Kluwer Law International. BOOK REVIEWS Karin Arts and Anna K. Dickson (eds), EU Development Cooperation: From Model to Symbol (MUP, Manchester, 2004), ISBN 0-7190-6298-5 (hbk), GBP45 (hbk), xi+156pp. EU development cooperation, one of the oldest areas of EU policy activity, has for a variety of reasons undergone significant change in recent years. Changes have been seen in the geographical coverage, political motivation and economic content of the policy. This timely book looks at these changes and considers the motivations for and merits of the changes. Eight authors contribute to the volume and it is clear from the content that there has been sufficient editorial input to ensure consistency of both style and general opinion on these changes. As to what this opinion is, the clue is to see what is missing from the title: `from model to symbol' is written as a statement, not a question. In short, the EU has moved away from a novel and innovative agenda (practical shortcomings notwithstanding, such as a limited budget) to a policy seen as following an agenda set by the likes of the World Bank, one that risks `perpetuating an ineffective agenda' (p. 3). The nine chapters (including introductory and concluding contributions) cover a range of economic and political issues, with chapter 2 (after the introduction), discussing the role of the World Bank and IMF in driving the new global approach followed by the EU. Subsequent chapters go on to consider policy concerns including trade preferences, the place of the ACP in an increasingly geographically diverse network of regional relationships and whether or not the focus of the policy (in Africa, at least) is about development or `security and complex political emergencies' ­ seen in a financial shift from development to humanitarian assistance. The roles played by France and the European Commission get separate chapters, whilst the broad process of European integration and, especially, EU enlargement are both the focus of a specific chapter and themes running throughout the book, as factors driving the re-focusing of EU development cooperation. The analysis presented in the book reflects both the economic and political factors at work. The end of the cold war re-directed the attention of the EU towards neighbours who wanted not only to transform themselves into market-oriented economies but also to join the EU (which, at the time of the writing of this book, they were still working towards). More broadly, however, this removed a crucial role for the EU globally: previously, EU policy offered a genuine alternative to both the liberal agenda of the USA and US-based international institutions and Communism, the EU positioning itself as the `champion of the Third World' (p. 124). Economic transformation on the EU's eastern border totally swept away this distinction and, in effect, challenged the EU to find a new role for itself. The EU had been able (and willing, driven by France and the United Kingdom in particular) to develop a policy agenda for the ACP countries that was not only different from but, in key ways, directly challenged the international approach. (Lomé was built around non-reciprocal trade preferences, contrary to GATT/WTO rules, resulting in the EU having to argue for exemptions for each agreement.) Global changes, however, affected the opportunity costs of such an approach. There were limited economic costs to the EU, largely because of the limited overlap in trade (except agriculture, which was largely excluded from such agreements). Politically, however, more countries joined the EU for whom a policy tied largely to excolonies was unsatisfactory. As a result, the number of countries challenging the political costs of Lomé grew. This was in addition to a growing realization that the economic aspects of the policy, based on tariff preferences, were not working. It is also interesting to see in this book, if a tad briefly, how EU development policy almost seems to emerge from between the cracks BOOK REVIEWS of other policy activities, most notably with regards to general trade policy and agriculture, given the lack of clarity within the Commission when it comes to some of these key concerns for poor countries. The globalization of EU policy has also seen two other new elements emerge in EU agreements. First, the process has explicitly looked to draw developing countries into the world trading system. Second, political conditionality is now prevalent. Concerns such as democracy and respect for human rights have become core elements of a policy that has taken the EU away from its politically neutral middle way between liberal and Communist ideologies. Indeed, with greater attention now being paid to regional groupings of countries in the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East, the attempted re-positioning of the EU as an international actor has seen political factors grow in importance. One of the concluding comments made by the editors points out that whilst the Everything But Arms policy focuses on the poorest countries ­ and thus, by implication, is based on economic need rather than historical colonial ties ­ it currently does not represent an economically costly policy for the EU. As such, it may still represent a policy based on geopolitical interests rather than recipients' needs. This timely and informative book is not without its shortcomings. It is clear throughout the book that both France and the United Kingdom have been instrumental in driving EU policy. Whilst France, with its own chapter, is arguably the more important, it is a shame that more detailed consideration is not given to the impact of UK accession on the EU policy process. Also, some of the economic arguments could have been presented more clearly with structured data-based evidence. These are, however, minor niggles, modest compared with the enjoyment and information this reviewer derived overall from this book. Another potential problem with this book ­ and one that is not uncommon with edited volumes ­ is that a fully coherent story of the changes to EU policy emerged only after having read the whole book. That said, if we discount the contents pages at the end of each chapter and the index, the reader is left with the not-terribly-daunting task of getting through just over 130 pages. It is well worth the effort, for academics, students and a wider interested readership alike. Rob Ackrill Nottingham Trent University http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png European Foreign Affairs Review Kluwer Law International

Book Review: EU Development Cooperation: From Model to Symbol , edited by Karin Arts and Anna K. Dickson. (MUP, Manchester, 2004)

European Foreign Affairs Review , Volume 11 (1) – Feb 1, 2006

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Publisher
Kluwer Law International
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer Law International
ISSN
1384-6299
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Abstract

European Foreign Affairs Review 11: 129­138, 2006. © 2006 Kluwer Law International. BOOK REVIEWS Karin Arts and Anna K. Dickson (eds), EU Development Cooperation: From Model to Symbol (MUP, Manchester, 2004), ISBN 0-7190-6298-5 (hbk), GBP45 (hbk), xi+156pp. EU development cooperation, one of the oldest areas of EU policy activity, has for a variety of reasons undergone significant change in recent years. Changes have been seen in the geographical coverage, political motivation and economic content of the policy. This timely book looks at these changes and considers the motivations for and merits of the changes. Eight authors contribute to the volume and it is clear from the content that there has been sufficient editorial input to ensure consistency of both style and general opinion on these changes. As to what this opinion is, the clue is to see what is missing from the title: `from model to symbol' is written as a statement, not a question. In short, the EU has moved away from a novel and innovative agenda (practical shortcomings notwithstanding, such as a limited budget) to a policy seen as following an agenda set by the likes of the World Bank, one that risks `perpetuating an ineffective agenda' (p. 3). The nine chapters (including introductory and concluding contributions) cover a range of economic and political issues, with chapter 2 (after the introduction), discussing the role of the World Bank and IMF in driving the new global approach followed by the EU. Subsequent chapters go on to consider policy concerns including trade preferences, the place of the ACP in an increasingly geographically diverse network of regional relationships and whether or not the focus of the policy (in Africa, at least) is about development or `security and complex political emergencies' ­ seen in a financial shift from development to humanitarian assistance. The roles played by France and the European Commission get separate chapters, whilst the broad process of European integration and, especially, EU enlargement are both the focus of a specific chapter and themes running throughout the book, as factors driving the re-focusing of EU development cooperation. The analysis presented in the book reflects both the economic and political factors at work. The end of the cold war re-directed the attention of the EU towards neighbours who wanted not only to transform themselves into market-oriented economies but also to join the EU (which, at the time of the writing of this book, they were still working towards). More broadly, however, this removed a crucial role for the EU globally: previously, EU policy offered a genuine alternative to both the liberal agenda of the USA and US-based international institutions and Communism, the EU positioning itself as the `champion of the Third World' (p. 124). Economic transformation on the EU's eastern border totally swept away this distinction and, in effect, challenged the EU to find a new role for itself. The EU had been able (and willing, driven by France and the United Kingdom in particular) to develop a policy agenda for the ACP countries that was not only different from but, in key ways, directly challenged the international approach. (Lomé was built around non-reciprocal trade preferences, contrary to GATT/WTO rules, resulting in the EU having to argue for exemptions for each agreement.) Global changes, however, affected the opportunity costs of such an approach. There were limited economic costs to the EU, largely because of the limited overlap in trade (except agriculture, which was largely excluded from such agreements). Politically, however, more countries joined the EU for whom a policy tied largely to excolonies was unsatisfactory. As a result, the number of countries challenging the political costs of Lomé grew. This was in addition to a growing realization that the economic aspects of the policy, based on tariff preferences, were not working. It is also interesting to see in this book, if a tad briefly, how EU development policy almost seems to emerge from between the cracks BOOK REVIEWS of other policy activities, most notably with regards to general trade policy and agriculture, given the lack of clarity within the Commission when it comes to some of these key concerns for poor countries. The globalization of EU policy has also seen two other new elements emerge in EU agreements. First, the process has explicitly looked to draw developing countries into the world trading system. Second, political conditionality is now prevalent. Concerns such as democracy and respect for human rights have become core elements of a policy that has taken the EU away from its politically neutral middle way between liberal and Communist ideologies. Indeed, with greater attention now being paid to regional groupings of countries in the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East, the attempted re-positioning of the EU as an international actor has seen political factors grow in importance. One of the concluding comments made by the editors points out that whilst the Everything But Arms policy focuses on the poorest countries ­ and thus, by implication, is based on economic need rather than historical colonial ties ­ it currently does not represent an economically costly policy for the EU. As such, it may still represent a policy based on geopolitical interests rather than recipients' needs. This timely and informative book is not without its shortcomings. It is clear throughout the book that both France and the United Kingdom have been instrumental in driving EU policy. Whilst France, with its own chapter, is arguably the more important, it is a shame that more detailed consideration is not given to the impact of UK accession on the EU policy process. Also, some of the economic arguments could have been presented more clearly with structured data-based evidence. These are, however, minor niggles, modest compared with the enjoyment and information this reviewer derived overall from this book. Another potential problem with this book ­ and one that is not uncommon with edited volumes ­ is that a fully coherent story of the changes to EU policy emerged only after having read the whole book. That said, if we discount the contents pages at the end of each chapter and the index, the reader is left with the not-terribly-daunting task of getting through just over 130 pages. It is well worth the effort, for academics, students and a wider interested readership alike. Rob Ackrill Nottingham Trent University

Journal

European Foreign Affairs ReviewKluwer Law International

Published: Feb 1, 2006

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