At the same time access to credits and declaring insolvency became more cumbersome. Belarus also improved its record of approximation to EU standards in most sectors and its record of fighting corruption: legislation was improved and the number of corruption crimes decreased from 2416 in 2011 to 1779 in 2012. In spring 2012, the EU launched an exclusive initiative for Belarus called the European Dialogue for Modernisation with Belarusian Society (EDM). The new mechanism offers an additional platform for communication and cooperation among civil society, business and the authorities. The EDM can be also used to build capacity in civil society and a human resource pool capable of developing and implementing modernisation programs. So far, however, the EDM has not proved its effectiveness. Its ultimate goals remain unclear, it lacks financial resources and there is little interest among Belarusian authorities to cooperate with it. The dynamics of Belarus-EU relations remain largely dependent on how relations go between Minsk and Moscow. Overall, Belarus continues to adhere to a policy of maneuvering between its two major partners. Belarus approaches the EU only when it has problems with Russia. Its foreign policy is guided by tactical considerations and highly dependent on external political and economic circumstances. European integration is not one of the goals being pursued by Belarusian authorities. Under such circumstances, there is little hope for any breakthrough in EU-Belarus relations.
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