In a trend that has been developing since the European Union was first established, it has becoming patently obvious that EU policies on the Mediterranean simply do not work. In the past this failure have largely been understood as being the result of problems that are primarily cosmetic in nature with some commentators indicating an issue with structural incentives or enforcement mechanisms in the region while others have pointed to a negligence of historical structures and legacies on the part of the EU that leave a lasting impact.

This book provides a compelling alternative understanding of why EU policies on the Mediterranean have failed to work and one that highlights that the problems are far more than simply cosmetic but rather lie at the very foundations on which the entire edifice of EU-Mediterranean policy is built and continues to be built. As high-lighted by case studies using new constructivist Institutionalist perspective, the EU seems to have ignored the central role that ideas play in policies and in the process of policy formation but rather prioritise policies that continue to privilege the economic concerns of the EU, rather than the social concerns of the Mediterranean states. This books is important reading for students and scholars interested in the policy-making process of the EU and the impact of its policies.