Eastern Partnership

Download Eastern Partnership full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online Eastern Partnership ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!

The European Union and Its Eastern Neighbourhood

Author : Andriy Tyushka
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1000483657
Total Pages : 368 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (4 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The European Union and Its Eastern Neighbourhood by : Andriy Tyushka

Download or read book The European Union and Its Eastern Neighbourhood written by Andriy Tyushka and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-11-29 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited volume brings together some of the most important scholarly perspectives – in the form of both journal article reprints and original contributions – on the structure and dynamics of the EU’s multi-layered relations with its Eastern neighbours within the Eastern Partnership (EaP) framework and beyond. In May 2019, the EU’s EaP – an ambitious and sophisticated policy framework, conjoining elements of cooperation and integration, with the EU’s six eastern neighbours, i.e. Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan – turned ten years. This anniversary, in conjunction with repeatedly voiced critique by scholars and policy-makers alike regarding the framework’s effectiveness and utility, led the EU to submit the EaP to a fundamental auditing and revision. Structured around both enduring and emerging issues in the broader EU-Eastern neighbourhood framework, this book provides a retrospective analysis of key structural and relational challenges, unfolding regional dynamics, distinctive forms of bilateral/multilateral engagement, whilst also offering a critical perspective on the contested future relations between the EU and its Eastern neighbours. Looking backwards and providing a critical and thorough assessment of the first ten years of the EaP in practice, this book thinks forward and gauges its many potential future avenues. This comes at a crucial moment, as the EU and its six Eastern neighbours are in search of new and mutually acceptable forms of association.

Eastern Partnership: A New Opportunity for the Neighbours?

Author : Elena Korosteleva
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317984838
Total Pages : 155 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (179 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Eastern Partnership: A New Opportunity for the Neighbours? by : Elena Korosteleva

Download or read book Eastern Partnership: A New Opportunity for the Neighbours? written by Elena Korosteleva and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-01-02 with total page 155 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers a collective assessment of the development and impact of the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership Initiative on its eastern neighbours - Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova in particular, with Russia’s added perspective. Founded on extensive empirical and conceptual research, the volume uniquely bridges the perspectives of all parties across the EU’s eastern border, in an attempt to understand advantages and problems related to the effective implementation of the EU policies in the eastern region. The undertaken research points to the prevalence of the top-down and conditional governance approach in EU treatment of the outsiders, which is not only Eurocentric and prescriptive in nature, but also falls short of the declared partnership principles. Without the understanding of partners’ internal dilemmas and needs, which could only be achieved through the equivalence and reciprocity of partnership, the EU would struggle to make the policy effective and legitimate in the region, and to buttress its reputation as a ‘credible force for good’ on the international arena. This book was published as a special issue of the Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics.

Political and Legal Perspectives of the EU Eastern Partnership Policy

Author : Tanel Kerikmäe
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319273833
Total Pages : 278 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (192 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Political and Legal Perspectives of the EU Eastern Partnership Policy by : Tanel Kerikmäe

Download or read book Political and Legal Perspectives of the EU Eastern Partnership Policy written by Tanel Kerikmäe and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-01-23 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines EU Eastern Partnership taking into account geopolitical challenges of EU integration. It highlights reasons for limited success, such as systematic conflict of EU External Action. In addition, the book analyses country-specific issues and discusses EaP influence on them, investigating political, economic and social factors, while seeking for potential solutions to existing problems. The reluctance of the Eastern countries to the European reforms should not reduce political pro-activeness of the EU. The authors suggest that EaP strategies should be reviewed to be more reciprocal and not based solely on the EU-laden agenda. This book is one of the good examples of cooperation between scholars not only from EaP and EU countries, but also from different disciplines, bringing diversity to the discussion process.

Analyzing Political Tensions Between Ukraine, Russia, and the EU

Author : Christensen, Carsten Sander
Publisher : IGI Global
ISBN 13 : 1799829081
Total Pages : 361 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (998 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Analyzing Political Tensions Between Ukraine, Russia, and the EU by : Christensen, Carsten Sander

Download or read book Analyzing Political Tensions Between Ukraine, Russia, and the EU written by Christensen, Carsten Sander and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2020-02-21 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the world’s most prevalent political quarrels is the current geographical state of Ukraine, along with its relationships with Russia and the European Union. With the annexation of Crimea, Russian forces have gained control over most of Eastern Ukraine, igniting a clash between the two governments and triggering the European Union, United States, and several Post-Soviet states to involve themselves in the situation. As these engagements continue to unfold, significant research is needed to examine the current state of these administrations and the tensions that continue to intensify in this region of the world. Analyzing Political Tensions Between Ukraine, Russia, and the EU is a collection of innovative research on the recent developments inside this growing geopolitical conflict. While highlighting topics including neighborhood policy, NATO relations, and Eastern partnership, this book is ideally designed for politicians, policymakers, governmental strategists, researchers, educators, journalists, academicians, and students seeking further understanding of foreign relations and the current political struggles of these European territories.

From Eastern Partnership to the Association

Author : Naděžda Šišková
Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1443868299
Total Pages : 310 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (438 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis From Eastern Partnership to the Association by : Naděžda Šišková

Download or read book From Eastern Partnership to the Association written by Naděžda Šišková and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2014-10-02 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique book, representing the main output of the Jean Monnet Multilateral Research Project granted by the European Commission, is dedicated to the legal and political dimension of the European Union policy towards its Eastern neighbours, namely Ukraine, Belarus, Moldavia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. The Eastern Partnership clearly occupies a privileged position in the EU’s external relations and constitutes an important “Eastern axis” of the European Neighbourhood Policy. The book examines relevant material from a broad perspective, and attention is paid to the in-depth analysis of Eastern Partnership Agreements and the new Association agreements, examining their place in the External Relations Law of the EU and the legal mechanisms of their operation. In this respect, comparisons with the previous Association agreements with the states of the Central Europe are also made here. A great part of the book is also dedicated to an analysis of the issues of human rights, the rule of law, and legal approximation as a key element of the acceptation of duties of the association countries. Recent political unrest in Ukraine in connection with the delay of the signature of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement has also shown that this contract instrument is considered to be a key indicator in geopolitical terms, as a concrete expression and powerful symbol of the future orientation of this Partnership state and its willingness to share common European values. This volume’s analysis of this document enables a better understanding of the reasons for, and the core of, this development. The diversity of contributors to this book allows a multi-perspectival analysis, incorporating views from old and new EU Member States, as well as Partnership states, and reflects the recent experiences of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Estonia with regards to the implementation of the Association Agreements. The volume is also opened by the preface of the Commissioner for the Enlargement, Eastern Partnership and the Association, Stefan Füle, and reflects his experience in these matters.

Eu Eastern Partnership: Common Framework or Wider Opportunity? (The)

Author : Carlo Frappi
Publisher : EGEA spa
ISBN 13 : 8823812879
Total Pages : 188 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (238 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Eu Eastern Partnership: Common Framework or Wider Opportunity? (The) by : Carlo Frappi

Download or read book Eu Eastern Partnership: Common Framework or Wider Opportunity? (The) written by Carlo Frappi and published by EGEA spa. This book was released on 2013-07-24T00:00:00+02:00 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Eastern Partnership (EaP) represents the most ambitious project launched by the European Union in order to support political and socio-economic reform in its neighbourhood, with a view to stepping up political association and economic integration. Notwithstanding the achievements of the framework, the EaP requires re-conceptualization focusing on those issues where cooperation and convergence are not only feasible but also more suitable in view of pan-European economic growth and security. Moving from the relations between the EU and Azerbaijan, which is gradually but steadily emerging as a key interlocutor for EU Eastward projection, the aim of the volume is to assess the functioning of the EaP bilateral and multilateral track along selected policies, in order to identify means to improve the overall efficacy of the framework, taking into consideration both EU and Eastern partnersŐ expectations and needs. Providing fresh analysis on the EaP development, the volume Đ the result of an ISPI-SAM joint research project Đ brings together and compares perspectives and expertise from the EU and the neighbourhood, fostering dialogue and mutual comprehension on issues of common concern.

Building a Lifeline for Freedom

Author : Salome Samadashvili
Publisher : Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies
ISBN 13 : 2930632348
Total Pages : 85 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (36 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Building a Lifeline for Freedom by : Salome Samadashvili

Download or read book Building a Lifeline for Freedom written by Salome Samadashvili and published by Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies. This book was released on 2014-11-02 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: PDF of this book can be downloaded from: http://martenscentre.eu/publications/building-lifeline-freedom-eastern-partnership-20 The Eastern Partnership (EaP) Initiative is the bridge which connects Europe to the countries in its eastern neighbourhood. Those countries were left out of the cycle of peaceful development, which the European project brought to the continent following the Second World War. It aspires to transform these countries into more democratic and prosperous societies. Over the last five years, the EaP has achieved more in some partner countries than in others. Structural policy weaknesses and different socio-economic realities of the partner states notwithstanding, the main challenge to the success of the EaP has come from Russia, which chose to view this policy as a zero-sum game for geopolitical dominance in its shared neighbourhoodÊwith Europe. This paper argues that in order to achieve the desired transformations, the EaP needs a fresh start, focusing on different players, methods and political technologies. Failure of the EaP to achieve its goal could deprive another generation of Georgians, Moldovans, Ukrainians and others in the EaP countries of an opportunity for a better life.

The European Union and its Eastern Neighbours

Author : Elena Korosteleva
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1136471790
Total Pages : 209 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (364 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The European Union and its Eastern Neighbours by : Elena Korosteleva

Download or read book The European Union and its Eastern Neighbours written by Elena Korosteleva and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-05-15 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the EU’s relations with its eastern neighbours. Based on extensive original research – including surveys, focus-groups, a study of school essays and in-depth interviews with key people in Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Russia and in Brussels – it assesses why the EU’s initiatives have received limited legitimacy in the neighbourhood. The European Neighbourhood Policy of 2004, and the subsequent Eastern Partnership of 2009 heralded a new form of relations with the EU’s neighbours – partnership based on joint ownership and shared values – which would complement if not entirely replace the EU’s traditional governance framework used for enlargement. These initiatives have, however, received a mixed response from the EU’s eastern neighbours. The book shows how the key elements of partnership have been forged mainly by the EU, rather than jointly, and examines the idea and application of external governance, and how this has been over-prescriptive and confusing.

A Pivotal Moment for the Eastern Partnership

Author : United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. Subcommittee on European Affairs
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 56 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (319 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis A Pivotal Moment for the Eastern Partnership by : United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. Subcommittee on European Affairs

Download or read book A Pivotal Moment for the Eastern Partnership written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations. Subcommittee on European Affairs and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Eastern Partnership: A New Opportunity for the Neighbours?

Author : Elena Korosteleva
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317984846
Total Pages : 199 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (179 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Eastern Partnership: A New Opportunity for the Neighbours? by : Elena Korosteleva

Download or read book Eastern Partnership: A New Opportunity for the Neighbours? written by Elena Korosteleva and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-01-02 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers a collective assessment of the development and impact of the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership Initiative on its eastern neighbours - Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova in particular, with Russia’s added perspective. Founded on extensive empirical and conceptual research, the volume uniquely bridges the perspectives of all parties across the EU’s eastern border, in an attempt to understand advantages and problems related to the effective implementation of the EU policies in the eastern region. The undertaken research points to the prevalence of the top-down and conditional governance approach in EU treatment of the outsiders, which is not only Eurocentric and prescriptive in nature, but also falls short of the declared partnership principles. Without the understanding of partners’ internal dilemmas and needs, which could only be achieved through the equivalence and reciprocity of partnership, the EU would struggle to make the policy effective and legitimate in the region, and to buttress its reputation as a ‘credible force for good’ on the international arena. This book was published as a special issue of the Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics.

Russia, the EU, and the Eastern Partnership

Author : Vasile Rotaru
Publisher : BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN 13 : 3838211340
Total Pages : 202 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (382 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Russia, the EU, and the Eastern Partnership by : Vasile Rotaru

Download or read book Russia, the EU, and the Eastern Partnership written by Vasile Rotaru and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2018-07-31 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Even before the Ukrainian crisis, neither Russia nor the EU were content with their relationship. Despite economic interdependence, strategic partnership, official declarations of belonging culturally and historically to the same ‘European family’ and in spite of Russia’s stated interest in establishing an economic community stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok, the two actors found it difficult to agree on important issues. The conflictual atmosphere between the EU and Russia has three main dimensions: the normative issue, energy relations, and the shared neighbourhood with the latter being particularly salient after the launch of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) in 2009. The former Soviet space is at the core of Russian foreign policy. Moscow’s special interest in this area results from economic factors, diaspora issues, and, most importantly, from its perceived security need. Obsessed by a fear of being encircled by enemies, Russia sees its hegemony over the former Soviet republics as paramount to the protection of its own borders. Therefore, the rapprochement of any other actor towards this region is regarded with high suspicion. Against this background, Vasile Rotaru analyzes EU-Russia relations with a particular emphasis on the impact of the EaP on Moscow’s relations with Brussels. He argues that the EaP represented a turning point in EU-Russia relations, determining Moscow to revise its attitude towards the Union. Rotaru explains that, even if the EaP was Brussels’ initiative, the Partnership met the aspirations of the six former Soviet republics. Moreover, despite its opposition towards the EU’s initiative, Russia itself acted involuntarily as a propeller of the EaP. By aiming to keep the former Soviet republics close, Moscow often conducts an assertive, aggressive policy in the ‘near abroad.’ This strategy, however, had mostly opposite effects, causing Russia’s neighbors to look elsewhere for support of their sovereignty. From this perspective, the rapprochement of Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine, and the three Caucasus republics with the EU has not been determined only by Brussels’ prosperity and soft-power attractiveness but also by existential fears in the former Soviet republics. The book appeals to a wide range of students, researchers, and professors specializing on Russia, the EU, and the former Soviet space in the fields of International Relations, Foreign Policy Analysis, and Security Studies as well as to think-tank analysts and policy makers.

‘The Politics’ and ‘The Political’ of the Eastern Partnership Initiative

Author : Elena Korosteleva
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1351121499
Total Pages : 260 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (511 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis ‘The Politics’ and ‘The Political’ of the Eastern Partnership Initiative by : Elena Korosteleva

Download or read book ‘The Politics’ and ‘The Political’ of the Eastern Partnership Initiative written by Elena Korosteleva and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-10-23 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Special Issue consolidates new approaches to the study of the EU’s role in the eastern neighbourhood and beyond, informed by post-structuralist traditions in international relations. More specifically, by revisiting the European Neighbourhood Policy’s agenda from the conceptual perspective of ‘the political’ and redefining the notions of ‘othering’, ‘differentiation’ and ‘normalisation’, this volume renders a new and much-needed theoretical and empirical outlook onto the policy developments and their practices. By unpacking and connecting security, regional, institutional, normative and sector-thematic policy dimensions, the book seeks to re-politicise the agenda and re-focus policy revision on understanding the fundamentals of power relations when applied to the EU external relations. In light of the compounding crises, external and internal, one can no longer afford to simply tinker around the edges of the policy content and instruments. A more radical theoretical undertaking is overdue, to re-shape, re-define and re-centre the EU relations with the eastern region especially, put in the context of the new EU’s Global Security Strategy, and the new aspirations for the 2017 European Neighbourhood summit. The chapters originally published as a special issue in East European Politics.

Civil Participation in Decision Making in the Eastern Partnership Countries

Author : Lovitt, Jeff
Publisher : Council of Europe
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 360 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Civil Participation in Decision Making in the Eastern Partnership Countries by : Lovitt, Jeff

Download or read book Civil Participation in Decision Making in the Eastern Partnership Countries written by Lovitt, Jeff and published by Council of Europe. This book was released on 2017-06-27 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Regional Project “Civil Participation in Decision Making in the Eastern Partnership Countries” AIMS ♦ Promote effective interaction between civil society and public authorities; ♦ Stimulate the participation of civil society actors in the democratic decision making process; ♦ Strengthen civil society in the region. ACTIVITIES ♦ Working group meetings, awareness-raising actions, workshops; ♦ Preparing two regional studies on strategic and immediate priority issues; ♦ Multilateral regional conferences on relevant issues, notably those covered by the studies; ♦ Drafting a regional strategy for promoting civil participation in decision-making.

The Eastern Partnership

Author : Paweł Dariusz Wiśniewski
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 31 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (865 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Eastern Partnership by : Paweł Dariusz Wiśniewski

Download or read book The Eastern Partnership written by Paweł Dariusz Wiśniewski and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 31 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The European Union's (EU's) Eastern Partnership, which aims to deepen cooperation between the EU and its Eastern European neighbors, must be modernized. Partner states and the EU have to acknowledge their own failures instead of playing a "blame game" and work together to make the partnership a success. If the Eastern Partnership initiative fails, both sides -- along with Russia, whose role is key -- will be responsible.

The Eastern Partnership - A Premise for an Enhanced EU-Eastern Neighbours Cooperation Relationship

Author : Oana Mocanu
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (137 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Eastern Partnership - A Premise for an Enhanced EU-Eastern Neighbours Cooperation Relationship by : Oana Mocanu

Download or read book The Eastern Partnership - A Premise for an Enhanced EU-Eastern Neighbours Cooperation Relationship written by Oana Mocanu and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The enlargement of the European Union towards the Central and Eastern Europe has brought to attention the necessity to reshape the EU institutional framework and specific policies addressing its new neighbourhood. Repeatedly stating that the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is not a preceding phase for membership, the European Union also embraced the Polish-Swedish initiative for an Eastern Partnership (EaP). Meant at first to counterbalance the Union for Mediterranean project, the EaP has developed into a distinct project, with specific and ambitious cooperation goals, a positive and constructive agenda meant to support six countries (Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Belarus) develop and harmonize with the European standards and, at the same, attempting to build and further develop an Eastern dimension of the ENP. The questions of the efficiency of the conditionality derived from the EaP and also the complementarity of this initiative with other regional projects in the area can also be important matters of concern.

EU, Security and The Eastern Partnership

Author : Christian Kaunert
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
ISBN 13 : 1040183115
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (41 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis EU, Security and The Eastern Partnership by : Christian Kaunert

Download or read book EU, Security and The Eastern Partnership written by Christian Kaunert and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-11-08 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book connects the scholarly discussions on 'security' and 'resilience', by examining the various definitions and meanings of the terms in the EU's Eastern Partnership (EaP) policy, and in what ways the EU has attempted to define the relationship between security and resilience in its official rhetoric and in policy practice. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has largely been viewed as an extraordinary resilience test for the EU. The war has unleashed multiple crises ranging from security and asylum to energy and the economy, in turn raising questions not only on how the EU can ensure the resilience of its eastern partners, but also questions existential to the EU, such as institutional and policy reform, further EU enlargement and the EU's role in a rapidly changing global context of polarisation and fragmentation. The chapters in this edited volume draw on a diversity of original conceptual and theoretical frameworks that are combined with an empirical analysis of often overlooked dimensions of EU’s policy towards the EaP countries, drawing on the original data collected by the authors, including the semi-structured interviews. In light of the aforementioned challenges, the chapters to this book have only increased in relevance, pointing to pathways and opportunities for the EU to strengthen the resilience of its eastern partners and its own resilience in the future, and inviting policy-makers and scholars to reflect on potential pitfalls, contradictions and limitations of EU resilience-building. This book will be beneficial to students, scholars and academics interested in European Studies, Politics and International Security. The chapters in this book were originally published in the Journal of Contemporary European Studies.

SME Policy Index: Eastern Partner Countries 2024 Building Resilience in Challenging Times

Author : OECD
Publisher : OECD Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9264956441
Total Pages : 452 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (649 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis SME Policy Index: Eastern Partner Countries 2024 Building Resilience in Challenging Times by : OECD

Download or read book SME Policy Index: Eastern Partner Countries 2024 Building Resilience in Challenging Times written by OECD and published by OECD Publishing. This book was released on 2023-12-13 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The SME Policy Index: Eastern Partner Countries 2024 – Building resilience in challenging times is a unique benchmarking tool to assess and monitor progress in the design and implementation of SME policies against EU and international best practice.