Between arbitrary outcomes and impeded process: the performance of EU Twinning projects in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood

ABSTRACT

This article examines to what extent EU Twinning projects perform well enough to have a lasting impact on administrative reform in the Eastern neighbourhood. Through tracing the development of the Twinning instrument and analysing the implementation of a sample of Twinning projects in Moldova, the analysis concludes that Twinning has considerable deficits, in terms of both process, as well as outcome performance. To address the latter, the article suggests that Twinning needs to be better adapted to the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy, as well as the specific demands of the Eastern neighbourhood countries.

KEYWORDS:

• EU Twinning
• European Neighbourhood Policy
• performance
• EU’s Eastern neighbourhood
• isomorphism
• institution-building

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Stefan Roch is a research assistant to the rector of Central European University, Budapest. In November 2016, he successfully defended his dissertation on the implementation of EU Twinning projects in Moldova and Lebanon at Central European University. His research interests include the process and implementation of transnational administrative cooperation and international capacity development projects.

Notes

1 The EaP represents the Eastern dimension of the ENP, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

2 This seemingly changed in November 2016 when the pro-Russian candidate, Igor Dodon, from the Moldovan Socialist party won the presidential election. The impact of his appointment remains to be seen.

3 A Twinning fiche is the initial project document, including mandatory results and a work plan. Based on the fiche, member-states can apply to become counterparts for the implementation of a Twinning project.

4 EUD = European Union Delegation.

5 All interviews were conducted in English and quotes used in this article were largely left unchanged compared to the original transcript of the interview response.

6 A list of interviewees can be supplied by the author upon request.

7 Project names are coded to assure the anonymity of all interviewees. For further information, please contact the author.