Call for papers - vol. 10 no. 1 (2026)

2025-03-05

CALL FOR PAPERS

'Difficult Neighbourhood' Regions? From the Eastern Partnership to the Pact for the EU's Eastern Border Regions

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2026)

 

Main theme: 'Difficult Neighbourhood' Regions? From the Eastern Partnership to the Pact for the EU's Eastern Border Regions

Editors of the Volume: Prof. Maciej Perkowski, Wojciech Zoń

 

The Eastern European Journal of Transnational Relations cordially invites submissions for publication in our forthcoming issue: 'Difficult Neighbourhood' Regions? From the Eastern Partnership to the Pact for the EU's Eastern Border Regions, to be published this spring as vol. 10 No. 1.

Practitioners, legal experts, diplomats, local government officials, and scholars are invited to share insights that will contribute conceptual material for multi-level legislative efforts in the EU and European states.

 

History is unfolding before our eyes, sometimes with our own involvement. Such moments - contrary to grandiose theses (e.g., 'the end of history') - occur repeatedly, and seemingly more frequently of late. Our journal, by design, addresses transnational 'East-West' relations (as reflected in our logo). Attention has naturally focused on the EU's eastern fringes and environs. Many negative experiences of recent years uniting these territories stem from a common source: neighbourhood across the border. This neighbourhood is shaped primarily by Russia and Belarus, but also (albeit for different reasons) by Ukraine and Moldova. One may posit that this is universally difficult neighbourhood - not merely transiently (in connection with Russia's aggression against Ukraine), but enduringly. This arises from the inherent instability of such neighbourhood, which has manifested in diverse surprises even during periods of apparent geopolitical calm.

 

It appears that as the EU, seeking renewal concepts, has turned to the notion of 'difficult neighbourhood' regions (initiating work on the 'Pact for the EU's Eastern Border Regions'), an historic opportunity arises for these regions to not only endure this objective crisis but to emerge strengthened durably. Since the EU accords special status to regions situated 'remotely' or 'insularly' due to their disadvantageous location, it seems rational to recognise special status for regions bordering 'difficult' neighbours. 'Difficult neighbourhood' regions and their parent states have intensified cooperation, reflected in agreements and declarations by representative bodies in 2025, inter alia in Brussels, Białowieża, Białystok, and Helsinki. This trajectory holds potential to form part of the EU's new opening. It should be recalled that years ago (without such pronounced motivators as presently), Polish and Swedish diplomacy achieved considerable success with the Eastern Partnership programme. Those experiences - though gained in dissimilar geopolitical contexts - may be aptly leveraged today. Furnishing clear references, inspiring proposals, and accessible analyses is a natural scholarly task. We thus emphatically encourage contributions in the delineated area. We seek scholarly voices, but not exclusively from scholars. This is an exigency of the moment, whence arises the rather urgent timeline for the volume to which we invite you.

 

Suggested Topics:

Submissions are encouraged that probe the broad and complex theme of 'difficult neighbourhood' regions from multiple perspectives. Contributions may address, inter alia, the following issues:

  • Regions in the EU - general status and exceptions,
  • EU Eastern Partnership - genesis, evolution, effects, prospects,
  • Peripheral and island regions - identification of status and solutions applicable to the EU's eastern fringes,
  • Russia and Belarus as 'difficult neighbours',
  • Ukraine and Moldova as 'difficult neighbours',
  • Content of 'difficult neighbourhood' (instability, irregularities, harmfulness, etc.),
  • Perspectives of eastern flank EU states (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania) on the status of their border regions and their 'difficult neighbourhood',
  • Norway (associated with the EU via the EEA) and 'difficult neighbourhood',
  • Maritime 'difficult neighbourhood' on the EU and EEA's eastern fringes,
  • Concept of 'difficult neighbourhood' regions in the EU and its prospects,
  • Other - within the titular problematique.

Particularly welcome are contributions presenting interdisciplinary perspectives, empirical research, case studies, and comparative analyses that highlight real challenges in the functioning and sustainable strengthening of 'difficult neighbourhood' regions.

 

 

Submission Guidelines:

  • Manuscripts should range from 3,500 to 10,000 words, including all notes and references.
  • Abstracts (200-300 words) must be submitted for preliminary review prior to full manuscript submission.
  • Articles must conform to the journal's citation and formatting guidelines, available on the journal's website.
  • Articles must be submitted in English.

 

Submission Details:

  • To submit, please send an abstract to the editorial team at zon@uwb.edu.pl and eejtr@uwb.edu.pl no later than 31 January 2026. Early submission of abstracts is encouraged.
  • Acceptance decision: within 5 days of abstract receipt.
  • Full article submission: 28 February 2026.
  • Reviews: by 31 March 2026.
  • Volume publication: April 2026.

For further information on the publication process, please visit: https://eejtr.uwb.edu.pl/about/submissions  

 

We are looking forward to your submissions.

EEJTR

 

Categories: European Union Law, International Law, Status of European Regions, Eastern Policy