The EU and the Caspian Sea region: An energy partnership?

This paper explores the scope to foster European Union (EU) energy security through stable long-run economic relations with the Caspian Sea region. It is part of a longer-run research programme focusing on the following issues: what are the determinants of the EU long-term energy interests in the Caspian Sea region, and how far does genuine security depend not only on diversifying energy sources geographically but also on stable political and economic structures in the energy-exporting states? An important motivation of this paper is to identify factors relevant to internal and external stability in the Caspian region to assess the impact of current policies and to elucidate policy options that can help increase EU energy security.