Brussels, 21/08/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Italian Presidency's work plan for setting up an EU common strategy for Russia will focus on the preparation of the next EU/Russia Summit, on 6 November in Rome. The Italian Presidency also plans to make the new "Permanent Partnership Council" fully operational, in order to make it the preferred instrument in EU/Russia cooperation. This Council was created at the last Summit between the EU and Russia (EUROPE of 3 June, p.13). A meeting of Foreign Ministers is also foreseen for 23 October in Moscow.
One of the major challenges of the Italian Presidency will be to achieve adoption during the Summit of a joint definition of the concept of "European Common Economic Area", the first of four common areas that the EU and Russia hope to create in the long term. Both partners will also discuss the elaboration of "road maps" to implement the three other areas (freedom, security and justice; external security; research and education). The other areas of cooperation on which the Presidency will focus are:
(1) Rule of law and democracy: The EU will provide support for independent media and will encourage cooperation between the Russian government and non-governmental organisations;
(2) economic and commercial spheres: The EU will place emphasis on the implementation of the partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA), discussions on a number of commercial issues still pending (such as the payment of taxes for flying over Siberia and access to the energy market), Russia's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), environmental cooperation (with a view to having the Kyoto Protocol ratified by Russia), and nuclear and maritime safety;
(3) stability and security in Europe: The EU and Russia are expected to strengthen their cooperation in conflict prevention and crisis management (mine clearance, natural disasters, drug trafficking), non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism (see also EUROPE of 6 August, p.6). Both partners area also to pool their efforts in order to resolve international and regional conflicts (mainly in Transnistria). The EU, for its part, will insist on the need to find a political solution to the conflict in Chechnya and for Russia to cooperate in bringing humanitarian aid to this republic;
(4) common challenges: The Presidency hopes to swiftly conclude an agreement between Europol and the Russian Interior Ministry on exchange of technical and strategic information, as well as on a re-entry agreement between the EU and Russia. It also envisages initiating discussions - within the framework of the ACP Justice and Home Affairs sub-committee - on the Russian request for a visa-free regime with the EU. Regarding the Kaliningrad dossier, the Presidency hopes to launch a feasibility study on non-stop transit trains, as foreseen during the EU/Russia Summit in November 2002.