The European Neighbourhood Policy

2006 Euro-Mediterranean Summit of

Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions

Ljubljana, 16 November 2006

Andreas Herdina European Commission

The EU’s political geography- Policies towards non-EU-members -

EFTA / EEA – multi- and bilateral accords

Candidate Countries (Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Croatia, Macedonia) - the Accession Process

“Potential candidates” (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro) – the Stabilisation and Association Process

Neighbours – the European Neighbourhood Policy

The EU and its neighbours

ENP partners

The immediate neighbours of the enlarged EU … but not candidate countries or “potential candidates”

Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus

Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan

Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Jordan,Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco

Strategic Partnership with the Russian Federation

Russian Federation

Not included in the European Neighbourhood Policy. Instead, a Strategic Partnership based on 4 “common spaces”:

economic (incl. environment and energy) - promote integration via market opening, regulatory convergence, trade facilitation, infrastructure

freedom, security and justice – JHA, human rights and fundamental freedoms

external security - partnership on security issues and crisis management

research and education (incl. cultural) - capitalise on strong intellectual and cultural heritage

“Road maps” agreed in May 2005

Aims and principles

Partnership-for-reform: supports reform and modernisation (inter alia by projecting internal EU policies) as a contribution to prosperity, stability, and security (aim: “ring of well-governed countries”)

Responds to countries’ situation (differentiation)

Joint ownership (agreed priorities)

FundamentalsGood governance, based on:

Democracy, human rights, rule of law

Sound macro-economic management, market economy and sustainable development

Sectoral reforms, institutional capacity

Joint response to common challenges e.g. prosperity gaps, migration, crime, environment, public health, terrorism ...

Fundamentals

A comprehensive policy – across three pillars (Community and Union competencies); support of all EU Institutions

Distinct from EU enlargement (does not prejudge in either way)

Rewards progress (positive and inherent conditionality)

Convergence of EU Member States’ orientation towards a common neighbourhood (policy of EU-25)

Civil society / academia taking keen interest in ENP

Development of the ENP

2002/3: Thinking “beyond” EU enlargement:“Wider Europe”, “new neighbourhood”, “ring of friends”European Council, December 2002: East & South

2003/4: Various Commission Communications and (European) Council Conclusions establish ENP as an EU policy

2004: “ENP Strategy Paper“ (May 2004)First 7 Country Reports; first Action Plan consultations

2005:

2006:

First 7 ENP Action Plans; implementation starts; 5 more Country Reports

Next 5 ENP Action Plans; Progress Reports (29 November 2006)

Content of the policy

Focus and direction: A comprehensive agenda for relations with EU neighbours

Aim: good governance and institutional reform

Offer: progressive economic integration, deepening political co-operation

Based on: values and common interests

Assistance for: agreed reform objectives, economic and social development and cross-border cooperation

Method

Adds a detailed agenda and accountability for progress on both sides; promoting and monitoring implementation; Progress Reports

Selective use of experience from supporting reform in candidate and pre-candidate countries, “twinning” and TAIEX…

Gradual approximation with the acquis communautaire in selected relevant areas

“Socialisation” model: European “soft power”; policy for the long haul

ENP Action Plans

Key operational instruments

Country-specific, tailor-made political documents

Jointly defining agenda on political and economic reforms

Short & medium-term priorities (3 – 5 years horizon)

Guidance for assistance programming

ENP Action Plans – main areas

Same six chapters in all Action Plans, content is specific to each

country:

1) Political dialogue and reform

2) Sound macro-economic management, economic and social cooperation and development

3) Trade related issues, market and regulatory reform

4) Co-operation in Justice, Freedom and Security

5) Sector-policies: Transport, energy, information society, environment, research and development

6) Human dimension: People-to-people contacts, civil society, education, public health

Building on existing framework

ENP builds on:

existing legal and institutional agreements (Partnership and Co-operation Agreements, Association Agreements established under the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership)

established bodies (Association and Co-operation

Councils, Committees, sub-Committees) as mechanisms for

promoting and monitoring implementation of Action Plans

“ Tracks exist, 3-5 year schedule is new “

ENP and Euro-Med Same general objectives; ENP complements the Euro-

Mediterranean Partnership (EMP) which continues as the multilateral element of EU relations with Southern Mediterranean neighbours

ENP: additional bilateral commitments and accountability, incentives and opportunities

Two tracks: multi-lateral (EMP) – bilateral (ENP)

Differentiated tools and methods (precise reform goals and steps, regulatory harmonisation) Example: Barcelona envisages trade integration, focusing on tariff issues, ENP has a “beyond-the-border” angle on economic integration (inclusion in networks and markets, regulatory alignment etc.)

ENP helps to realise the full potential of the EMP

Role of Civil Society

Meetings with civil society groups in the course of ENP Action Plan preparations

Actual ENP Action Plan consultations between officials (EU – partner Government)

Contact with civil society for feedback (particularly on human rights, business climate, consumer and environmental rights etc.) to promote and monitor implementation of the ENP Action Plans

Information material available (Commission website, brochures, etc.)

EC financial support2000 - 2006:

€8.4bn (MEDA €5,3bn, TACIS €3,1bn)

EIB lending (€2bn Mediterranean, €500m Eastern Europe)

2007-2013:

- European Neighbourhood & Partnership Instrument (ENPI) – Regulation (EC) No 1638/2006 of 24 October 2006, O.J. No

L 310 of 9 November 2006

More flexible, policy-driven instrument Supporting priorities agreed in the ENP Action Plans simplified approach for cross-border co-operation Technical assistance for institutional capacity-building Budget: €11.97 bn ( ~ 45% increase over previous FP) Grant money to leverage EIB and other IFI lending World Bank gives ENP Action Plans consideration

Summary: Added value of ENP

Focuses an immediate neighbourhood; special category of external relations

Increased scope and intensity of relations – comprises all policy fields (all pillars); “beyond border” partnership more than classical external relations

Encouragement of reforms and development (political, economic, social, institutional)

New forms of financial and technical assistance (addition of TAIEX, twinning, budgetary support to sector-specific reforms, etc.)

Conclusions

External relations’ priority of the Commission; part of the portfolio of Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner

An ambitions and enhanced political framework for EU relations with neighbouring countries

Of mutual, long-term interest; no alternative to ENP: non-engagement in neighbourhood not an option

Commission Communication of 29 November 2006 on “strengthening the ENP”

ENP Website

Dedicated web site on Europa server under “Commission – Europe

in the World”:

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/world/enp