Policy-specific effects of transgovernmental cooperation: a statistical assessment across the EU’s post-Soviet neighbours

Can transgovernmental networks facilitate democratization in third countries? If so, to what extent and under what conditions can they impact states’ behaviour? Earlier works demonstrate that transgovernmental professional networks set by the European Union can shape attitudes of officials towards democracy in third countries. However, it remains unclear whether they change their behaviour, too; nor do we have an understanding of how long these changes last. Using the time-series cross-sectional analysis and focusing on two policy fields, human rights and public administration in the former Soviet republics, this article demonstrates that transgovernmental networks can stimulate improvements in domestic practices in third countries. At the same time, the results hint that their effects are policy-specific and rather short-lived.