The visibility of the EU lies in its ability to carry out effective public diplomacy. The data discussed in this policy paper make it clear that the EU has achieved some degree of success in building its image, which varies from country to country in the EaP region. However, a reversal in public perception of the EU cannot be ruled out either, as it may occur due to local political dynamics in the eastern neighborhood. The recommendations presented in this policy paper address the current modus operandi in the field of EU public diplomacy by analyzing, in particular, the work of EU embassies and the local popularization of EU-funded projects. To diminish the effects of the existing shortcomings, the policy paper suggests, the EU should become more involved and connected to the realities of the EaP countries and their public. Right now, the EU may be the most trusted international actor in the region, but to maintain sustainable visibility, it should be more proactive and inventive, the paper suggests.
Denis Cenusa is an Associated Expert with GSSC and a Visiting Fellow at the School of Transnational Governance in Florence. His doctoral research at Justus Liebig University in Giessen (Germany) focuses on EU governance and Russian hybrid energy warfare in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood. Over the past 15 years, he has published comparative, country- and region-focused analyses on European integration in post-Soviet space, EU–Russia competition, the geopolitics of critical infrastructure, hybrid warfare, and great-power competition, with a particular emphasis on the Black Sea region, as well as a research interest in the emergence of Global South regions, particularly China’s influence. He is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Russian, and Romanian.
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