Abstract
As early as in the period before the enlargement of the European Union in
2004, Poland – as a candidate state at the time – took part in the debate before
the European Neighbourhood Policy (formally introduced just a few days after
the 2004 enlargement) was conceived. During the debate, the key issue was
the idea of further enlargement of the EU after adequate requirements are
met. One of the most important elements of the Polish programme within the
EU Eastern policy in the period 2006–2014 was energy and activities within
the Eastern Partnership. After Sweden supported the Eastern Partnership
at its initial stage, Poland gained a lot of positive experience. A supposed
permanent element of the Polish strategy within the EU Eastern policy was
also its consent for the strengthening of common EU institutions, especially
in the internal policy, which might have been interpreted as promoting the
principle of “more enlargement for deepening” the co-operation within
the EU. It can be perceived as an element of transaction with the member
states that were against or sceptical about enlargement and/or an attempt to
strengthen Polish stand within the EU Eastern policy with the use of common
institutions. A specific canon of the Polish stand within the EU Eastern policy
related to the Polish political thought tradition has developed over the last
15 years. From the point of view of the catalogue of Polish targets, one can
notice a tendency in the EU to accept some Polish arguments as common
ones – it is seen when the development of the idea and implementation of the
ENP is compared with what resulted from the Eastern Partnership.