A core global challenge that Europe faces in its neighbourhood as well as on a global scale is the persistence of regional conflicts. Such conflicts typically have regional (if not global) spill-over effects, which threaten both the general goal of promoting international peace and the specific norms and interests of local, regional and external actors. A strategy to tackle this challenge, which is particularly prominent with the European Union (EU), is the promotion of regional integration. Yet there has been little, if any, systematic analysis of the success or failure of the promotion of regional integration as a means to transform regional conflicts. In view of this:

• the scientific aim of REGIOCONF is to conceptually define regional conflicts; examine these conflicts empirically within specific geographic areas (the Mediterranean, Africa, Central and South America and East Asia); assess whether, to what extent and how the EU, in cooperation (or competition) with other global actors has attempted to resolve them through regional cooperation and integration schemes; and evaluate the promotion of regional cooperation and integration as a strategy to transform conflicts in order to prevent the resort to violence and/or to contribute to long-term peacebuilding.

• The ensuing policy aim of REGIOCONF is to identify how the EU (together with other global actors) might enhance its strategies aimed at resolving regional conflicts through regional cooperation and integration, and to assess the extent to which EU member states with their historical links to some conflict regions can facilitate or hinder EU impact.

Research Question

Our main research question is thus: To what extent, and under which conditions, does the promotion of regional integration contribute to the positive transformation of regional conflicts?

Further questions which need to be answered throughout the project:

• What are the features of regional conflicts, why do they represent a challenge to the world and to the EU?
• What does the EU strategy of the promotion of regional integration consist of? How does it differ for different world regions and where lie the differences compared to other strategies aimed at conflict resolution? Which instruments are applied, what motivates the EU to engage in this regionalization process?
• How does the EU actually implement its strategy? In how far is this strategy conflicting with bilateral approaches of the EU (strategic partnerships)?
• Are the adopted EU policies actually in line with aims and strategy?
• What have been the local responses to EU action?
• How has the EU strategy been received by the parties of the conflict?
• Do we observe regional integration and consequently conflict transformation as an effect of this EU strategy? Which factors can explain a positive or negative impact on conflict transformation by the EU strategy? How can the EU ameliorate its strategy in order to contribute to “deep conflict prevention” (Miall 2000)?