Principles of democracy and human rights: A review of the European union's strategies towards its neighbours

The claim of the European Commission implies two issues: firstly that the EU,

by virtue of what it is, can export its principles abroad; secondly that what it can do

places it in a privileged position to pursue such objectives. Much institutional

rhetoric has been spent on the EU’s role in promoting principles of democracy

and human rights, yet few analyses ascertain the extent to which the rhetoric is

translated into political practice.