(Routledge, London, New York, 2017, 2017) Nizhnikau, Ryhor
This chapter examines the strategies of the European Union (EU) that aim at promoting
institutional reforms in neighbouring countries such as Ukraine. It particularly addresses
the question why does rule convergence vary at the sectoral level in Ukraine. It argues
that EU policies are more efficient if they aim at flexible adaptation of rules to local
needs and empower domestic actors to actively participate in reforms. However, the
EU’s dominant approach instead promotes institutional monocropping and reinforces
the capacities of the entrenched elites, which aim at the preservation of the status quo.
The EU’s strategies are analyzed regarding the examples of anti-corruption reforms in
the migration and environmental sectors in Ukraine.
