Brussels, 08/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the European Parliament called for full, detailed review of the European neighbourhood policy (ENP), in both its eastern and southern chapters, above all to strengthen the political conditionality of aid granted by the EU to its neighbours. In the past, the EP notes in two resolutions adopted on Thursday 7 April, the ENP did not sufficiently contribute to promoting democratic reform and human rights in beneficiary countries. In future, it will be necessary for the EU to make more of a distinction between the countries that set democratic reform in place and those that do not do so, and to reward those that do. For a number of eastern neighbours, this reward could even take the form of the prospect of European membership, MEPs say. Opinions differ, however, as to the exact nature of such a prospect. The rapporteur on the eastern chapter of ENP, Marek Siwiec (S&D, Poland) would have liked the text of the resolution to make an explicit reference to the prospect of membership for the Union's eastern neighbours. His amendment was rejected, however, by a slim margin at the plenary vote (247 votes for, 295 against and 25 abstentions). The final text therefore states that “a European perspective including Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union could constitute a driving force for reforms in these countries and further strengthen their commitment to shared values and principles such as democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and good governance”.
The Commission is to present its ENP reform proposals on 20 April. The southern dimension of ENP includes the following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian Occupied Territories, Syria and Tunisia. The eastern ENP chapter covers six countries: Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus (cooperation is not yet operational), Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Southerly neighbours. Since it was created in 2004, the ENP has not been able to promote democracy and guarantee human rights in the beneficiary countries as one can see from the events that are currently unfolding in the south and especially in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Algeria, Morocco and Jordan and in the other countries that are calling for democratic reform, the EP notes. It therefore calls on the EU to draw lessons from this and, in future, to foresee a human rights clause in all agreements with third countries. Another lesson to be drawn from the recent events in the southerly neighbourhood is that the EU must create partnerships “not only with the states but also with the societies”. The EP would also like an upward review of credits assigned to ENP in the forthcoming financial perspectives of the Union after 2013, by placing emphasis on the priorities of the ENP southern dimension. On the subject of the “advanced status” that the EU has already granted to a number of partner countries (or which are currently the subject of talks with others), the EP calls for a definition of exact and transparent criteria which should be respected with a view to enjoying advanced status.
Easterly neighbours. Results obtained so far within the framework of ENP in 2004 are mixed. Evolution is positive with regard to human rights and democratisation in a number of partner countries, but it is negative in others, especially in Belarus, the EP states. “Serious problems” remain in many countries with regard to respect of freedom of expression, especially in the media, as well as regarding freedom of association and of meeting. In the context of the Eastern Partnership launched with the six eastern neighbours (Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), the EU is in the process of or is contemplating negotiating association agreements. Although these agreements are an “important tool” for stimulating reforms, it is necessary for their conclusion to be made subject to conditions, timetables and strict performance criteria, MEPs say. The same is true for the creation of free trade zones which must not be concluded until these conditions are met, the EP states. (H.B./transl.jl)