ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the interplay between bilateralism and region-building across time and in the shadow of power asymmetries in the area. It shows that the centrality of bilateralism in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), as well as the uneven impact of the European Union (EU) on neighbouring countries. The chapter analyses regional initiatives in the neighbourhood and shows how region-building developed in different ways, with the Mediterranean being an early target and the eastern neighbourhood a latecomer. The main tenets of the ENP display a mix of bilateralism, multilateralism and region-building. The literature on bilateralism, multilateralism and region-building is broad, especially related to the EU. Multilateralism and region-building are often associated with the policies of the EU, which is the most fully-fledged example of the construction of a prosperous region. Combining bilateralism and region-building, has been a constant challenge in EU external relations.
