Consistency as a Major Challenge for EU Policies in the Post-Soviet Space

This chapter analyses the degree of consistency in, and between, current EU policies in the post-Soviet area. A related notion is interstate consistency, which centres on the coherence between policies designed and implemented by EU Member States. Among EU Member States, Poland and the Baltic States clearly perceived the use of energy in Russian foreign policy as a threat and strongly advocated for reduction of Russia's share of EU supplies. The latest developments in relations with Georgia are an indication that EU visa policies have increasingly gained coherence and effectiveness in the post-Soviet area over the past two years. Coherence in EU migration policy diminishes the influence and consistency of EU policies in the former Soviet Union. Visa-free movement remained largely a reality in a post-Soviet space where borders are recent and not always tangible or fixed. Developments in the post-Soviet space, especially the deteriorating relationship between Georgia and Russia, do also affect EU policies.