Human rights in the European Neighbourhood Policy

Human rights have always been an important feature of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), tied to the European Union’s (EU’s) transformative political and social agenda, which the policy seemed to presuppose. They are part of a conceptual framework in which ‘democracy, pluralism, respect for human rights, civil liberties, the rule of law and core labour standards are all essential prerequisites for political stability, as well as for peaceful and sustained social and economic development’ (Commission of the European Communities 2003).