Migration, terrorism and energy — three ‘crisis’ topics — have preoccupied EU policy and their societies’ view of their neighbourhood in northern Africa for a long time.

Caught in (post-)colonial attitudes, misled by a deplorable lack of knowledge of internal developments, and frightened by new geopolitical competitors: Europe’s relations with northern Africa is a good — or rather, bad — example of how biased and outdated perceptions worsen crises rather than overcoming them and laying the foundation for a new chapter of cooperation.

For too long, keeping the problems — literally — at bay has been left to southern European member countries of the EU.