Tough Love

Dr Steven Blockmans is senior research fellow in EU law and deputy head of research at the T.M.C. Asser Institute (The Hague). He combines his academic research with consultancy activities and training in EU law. His academic research focuses on EU constitutional and external relations law. Steven� consultancy activities consist of research projects for the European Commission and Dutch ministries, and are usually concerned with the compliance of national legislation and implementation with the EU acquis. In addition, he acts as an expert in projects sponsored by the same donors to train judges, court clerks, prosecutors and lawyers of Member States, (potential) candidate and ENP countries in EU law matters.

'A reference point for any research on the EU strategy in the region.' Pamela Luckau, Humboldt Universitat Berlin 'This study's main contribution lies in its comprehensive account of the evolution of EU engagement in the region. Readers looking for detailed analyses of the (country-specific) effects of conditionality, the integration-stabilisation dilemma or the EU's performance as a security actor in the Balkans and beyond, best view the present work as a very useful starting point from which to explore these individual questions.' Eva Gross, Vrije Universiteit Brussel