2012年-CEPS欧洲政策研究中心_Consequences_of_European_Security_Practices_in_the_Southern_Mediterranean_and_Policy_Implications_for_the_EU_8页_80kb

Summary of "Consequences of European Security Practices in the Southern Mediterranean and Policy Implications for the EU"

Core Content

This policy brief analyzes the consequences of European security practices in the Southern Mediterranean and their implications for the EU. It focuses on three main policy areas: immigration control, counter-terrorism, and democracy promotion. The study highlights how these practices have affected individuals, societies, and regimes/states in the region, and offers policy recommendations for the EU to address these consequences more effectively.

Main Policy Areas and Their Consequences

1. Immigration Control

• Externalization of Policies: The EU has externalized immigration control by building institutional and technical capacities in Southern Mediterranean countries and by deploying technologized and sometimes militarized means.
• Key Practices:
  • Training of border guards, immigration officers, and military forces.
  • Export of surveillance technology.
  • Information exchange and coordination with southern states via FRONTEX.
• Consequences:
  • Increased number of immigrant deaths.
  • Fading asylum-seeking as a strategy for escaping repression.
  • Violent treatment by human smugglers and abuse of fundamental rights.
• Policy Implications:
  • EU is often blamed for the negative consequences of member states' actions, even though it is not the direct actor.
  • EU's silence on human rights violations by southern states has led to perceptions of indifference.

2. Counter-Terrorism

• EU's Role: The EU provides technical and financial assistance to Southern Mediterranean states to combat terrorism.
• Key Practices:
  • Programs to counter youth radicalization.
  • Training of law enforcement agencies for border, airport, and maritime security.
• Consequences:
  • Emerging racialized divisions in labor and increased racism in some areas.
  • Reinforcement of 'us/them' divides between sub-Saharan and North African populations.
• Policy Implications:
  • EU policies may inadvertently support repressive regimes in the name of counter-terrorism.
  • There is a risk of alienating civil society and increasing insecurity in the long term.

3. Democracy Promotion

• EU's Initiative: The EU, rather than individual member states, leads efforts to promote political reforms in Southern Mediterranean countries.
• Key Practices:
  • Action plans and agreements with countries like Morocco and Egypt.
  • Funding of civil society programs in Egypt.
• Consequences:
  • Limited effect of EU criticisms, especially regarding Egypt's state of emergency and election issues.
  • Alienation of civil society from regimes due to increased cooperation with the EU.
• Policy Implications:
  • EU's normative power is questioned due to perceived cooperation with repressive regimes.
  • There is a need for more transparency and awareness of EU's counter-terrorism and democracy promotion efforts.

Key Information and Recommendations

Key Information

• The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) represent two key frameworks for EU security policies in the Southern Mediterranean.
• The ENP emphasizes bilateral cooperation, differentiation, and individualized action plans.
• The externalization of security policies has led to increased militarization and technologization of border control.
• The EU's readmission agreements and development aid are often tied to migration control, raising concerns about value consistency.

Policy Recommendations

• Enhance Transparency: The EU should launch an information campaign about its counter-terrorism and democracy promotion efforts.
• Promote Protection: The EU should work towards improving the conditions of protection in Southern Mediterranean countries.
• Decriminalize Assistance: Member states should de-criminalize helping people in distress at sea to reduce the death toll.
• Include Human Rights Clauses: Agreements between the EU and Southern Mediterranean states should include clauses about the protection of the human rights of irregular immigrants.
• Engage UNHCR: The EU should invite the UNHCR to its intergovernmental meetings to improve cooperation with non-signatory states like Libya.
• Support Civil Society: The EU should encourage the creation of legal conditions for civil society engagement in political processes.

Conclusion

The EU's security practices in the Southern Mediterranean have significant consequences for individuals, societies, and regimes. While these practices aim to enhance stability and security, they often lead to human rights violations, social divisions, and regime insecurity. The policy brief calls for a more transparent, inclusive, and rights-based approach from the EU to address these challenges effectively.