Beyond
Enlargement: Commission shifts European Neighbourhood Policy into higher gear, Brussels,
12 May 2004
The European
Commission today proposed concrete steps to ensure that the historic
enlargement which took place on 1 May does not create new dividing lines
between the EU and its neighbours. Having defined the guiding principles of the
European Neighbourhood Policy last year, the Commission has now adopted a
"Strategy Paper" proposing how the benefits of enlargement, i.e.
peace, stability and prosperity, can be extended to the neighbours of the
enlarged Union. It also adopted reports assessing the situation in a number of
the countries concerned. The Council is now invited to draw up conclusions on
how to carry this initiative forward.
"This enlargement has
brought us much closer to our neighbours in Eastern Europe and the
Mediterranean region" Günter Verheugen, Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, said. "Today we are
proposing to reinforce our ties with these partner countries through an array
of new forms of co-operation and assistance. We want to give them a real stake
in the enlarged EU so that they too can develop and prosper. A ring of
well-governed countries around the EU, offering new perspectives for democracy
and economic growth, is in the interests of Europe as a whole."
Reminder
In March 2003 the Commission
presented its Communication on "Wider Europe Neighbourhood: A new
framework for relations with our Eastern and Southern Neighbours"
outlining the basic principles of the European Neighbourhood Policy. In October
2003, the European Council welcomed this initiative and urged the Commission
and the Council to take it forward.
Since then, the Commission has
also held exploratory talks with partners in Eastern Europe and the Southern
Mediterranean(1) which
have Partnership and Co-operation Agreements or Association Agreements in
force. These talks have confirmed their interest in European Neighbourhood
Policy (ENP) and heard their views on the priorities to be addressed in
possible ENP Action Plans. Reports on the current situation in these countries
and their co-operation with the EU are attached to the Communication.
The intention is progressively to
extend the process to other countries which have themselves ratified
Association Agreements, this is in the first instance, Egypt and Lebanon.
Principles and scope
The objective of the European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is to share the benefits of the EU's 2004
enlargement with neighbouring countries i.e. stability, security and well-being
- in a way that is distinct from EU membership. It is designed to prevent the
emergence of new dividing lines between the enlarged Union and its neighbours
and to offer them the chance to participate in various EU activities through
close political, security, economic and cultural co-operation. ENP will also
help address one of the strategic objectives the European Union set in the
European Security Strategy in December 2003, that of building security in our
neighbourhood.
The ENP is addressed to the EU's
neighbours and, in particular, those that have drawn closer to the EU as a
result of enlargement. In Europe, this applies to Russia, Ukraine, Belarus
and Moldova. The EU and Russia have decided to develop their strategic
partnership further through the creation of 'four common spaces', as defined at
the 2003 St Petersburg Summit. In the Mediterranean region, the ENP
applies to all the non-EU participants in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership
(also called the Barcelona process)(2) with the
exception of Turkey, which is pursuing its relations with the EU in a
pre-accession framework. The Commission also recommends the inclusion of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia within the scope of ENP. The European Security
Strategy, adopted by the European Council in December 2003, clearly identifies
the South Caucasus as one of the regions in which the EU should take a "stronger
and more active interest".
A tailor-made approach
The Commission today proposes a method
to meet the goals of the European Neighbourhood Policy. This method consists in
defining, together with partner countries, a set of priorities in jointly
agreed Action Plans with a view to bringing these countries as close as
possible to the European Union.
The Action Plans are based on a commitment
to shared values, that is respect for human rights, including minority
rights, the rule of law, good governance, the promotion of good neighbourly
relations, and the principles of market economy and sustainable development as
well as to certain key foreign policy goals. The pace at which the EU develops
links with each partner will reflect the extent to which these common values
are effectively shared. The Action Plans will contain a number of priorities
intended to strengthen commitment to these values.
The Action Plans will also cover a
number of other key areas:
political dialogue; covering
key issues including the fight against terrorism and the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction as well as effects to resolve regional conflict.
economic and social development
policy, offering neighbouring countries the prospect of a stake in the EU
internal market based on legislative and regulatory approximation, the
participation in a number of EU programmes (education and training,
research and innovation) and improved interconnection and physical links
with the EU (eg. in the fields of energy, transport, environment and
information society)
trade: ENP
foresees a greater market opening in accordance with the principles of the WTO
and convergence with EU standards
Justice and Home Affairs: close co-operation
to include issues like border management, migration, fight against terrorism,
trafficking in human beings, drugs and arms, organised crime, money laundering
and financial and economic crimes
The Action Plans will be differentiated,
i.e. tailor-made to reflect the existing state of relations with each country,
its needs and capacities as well as common interests. They will be put forward
by the Commission and approved by the respective Co-operation or Association
Councils.
The Action Plans will define the
way ahead over the next three to five years. The next step could consist in
offering a new privileged partnership in the form of European Neighbourhood
Agreements, to replace the present generation of bilateral agreements, when
Action Plan priorities are met.
Towards a new financial
instrument in support of ENP
The priorities set in the Action
Plans will be a reference for the financial support provided by the EU to the
countries concerned. Assistance from existing sources mainly the TACIS and MEDA
programmes will be complemented in the future by a new financial instrument
from 2007, the European Neighbourhood Instrument, which will focus on
cross-border co-operation along the external border of the enlarged EU.
For the period 2004-2006, the
funding foreseen for ENP under external assistance programmes amounts to €255
million. Approximately €700 million will be provided for the corresponding EU
internal borders under the Interreg programme. For the next financial
perspective 2007-2013, the Commission intends to propose a substantial increase
in the annual amounts to be allocated to the European Neighbourhood Instrument
compared to those allocated during the period 2004-2006 to cross-border
co-operation
Closer Regional
Co-operation
The European Neighbourhood Policy
also strongly encourages regional and sub-regional co-operation. By
further developing various forms of cross-border co-operation, the EU and its
partners can work together to ensure that regions benefit from the EU's
enlargement. In the South, the ENP will also encourage the participants to reap
the full benefits of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, notably through the
promotion of infrastructure, interconnections and networks, in particular
energy, and to develop new forms of co-operation with their neighbours.
Next steps
The Commission is transmitting the
Communication to the Council and European Parliament. On the basis of the
conclusions that will be drawn by the Council, the Commission will begin to
work on implementing the policy as set out in the Strategy Paper. It is ready
in the coming months, with the participation of the Presidency and the High Representative,
to complete explanatory talks with the countries concerned and to present draft
Action Plans.
For more information on the
European Neighbourhood Policy:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/enp/index_en.htm
(1) Israel,
Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Ukraine
(2) Algeria,
Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, as well as the
Palestinian Authority.