Dynamics of Convergence and Differentiation in Euro-Mediterranean Relations: Towards Flexible Region-Building or Fragmentation?: Introduction

The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership was conceived as a regional endeavour to promote approximation in a wide number of policy domains. However, despite this holistic and geographically encompassing approach, differentiation dynamics have been the order of the day in EU relations with the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries. This article contributes to theoretical and practical debates on whether differentiation dynamics aid or hinder policy convergence processes and region-building efforts more widely. It does so by conceptualizing the various types of differentiation dynamics in Euro-Mediterranean relations and discussing how they are linked to different paths and degrees of regionalization.