Brussels, 09/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - As we announced (see EUROPE of 8 December), the Commission on Thursday adopted the first seven action plans for the implementation of the new European neighbourhood policy (ENP) with Ukraine, Moldova, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan. In order to become operational, the action plans have still to be approved by the association or cooperation councils which the EU established with these countries under agreements in place (association or partnership and cooperation agreements).
Other action plans for Egypt, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia may follow in 2005 or 2006, the Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, told the press. For these five countries, the Commission will present progress reports ("country reports") in March 2005, together with recommendations for the possible drafting of action plans.
The action plans have the "potential to move our relations with our new neighbours forward considerably in order to avoid new lines of division in Europe", but the European neighbourhood policy (ENP) should not be seen as an enlargement policy, and "offers the beneficiary countries no prospect of accession", said Ms Ferrero-Waldner. However, it is a "concrete and substantial offer", with a view to reinforced cooperation and a "gradual integration" into certain EU policies, certain Community programmes and the largest single market in the world. How far can this integration go? This will depend entirely on the beneficiary country, because "the more it is prepared to share our values and implement the action plan, the more prepared we will be to move forward with this integration. In other words; the EU will not move forwards unless the country in question makes progress". The EU's financial assistance will depend on the concrete results of the new policy: "the more the countries do, the more they will receive", said the Commissioner. In the initial phase, financial aid will continue to be channelled through instruments in place (mainly Tacis and Meda), but as of 2007, under the new financial perspectives, the Commission has proposed to set up a new financial instrument ("European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument", ENPI), which will have more funds available than the current instruments. The action plans are tailor made for the specific needs and interests of each of the seven countries, and they were negotiated by common accord, "at the request of the countries in question". Ms Ferrero-Waldner pointed out that the neighbourhood policy would be one of the priorities of this Commission, the objective being to create a "ring of friends" around the external borders of the enlarged EU.
Due to the current political crisis, the action plan with Ukraine (for a duration of three years) is particularly significant, especially as there have been calls in recent days for a genuine prospect of Ukrainian accession. The Commission feels that there is currently no question of this, but the fact that it has stuck to its timetable for the adoption of the action plan "clearly demonstrates the EU's commitment to the democratic development of this country", said Ms Ferrero-Waldner, who added that her approach has "great support" within the European Commission. The Commission recommends that the Council submit an action plan to the EU/Ukraine cooperation council "once the situation in the country has settled down enough for the implementation of its proposals to be envisaged", in other words once free and fair elections have taken place. "As soon as there is a democratically elected government in place, I will visit Kiev to discuss with the Ukrainian authorities how the action plan can be implemented", said the Commissioner. In the action plan, the EU "recognises Ukraine's European aspirations and welcomes Ukraine's European choice". In the economic and commercial field, the EU offers the possibility of "reviewing the feasibility" of an EU/Ukraine free trade area, but only after the country has joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The EU does not rule out the possibility of a new agreement with Ukraine in the future, in light of progress made in implementing the plan.
Although the contents of the plans vary from country to country, certain aspects of them are common to all, such as:
proposed assistance to align legislation on that of the EU, to improve access to the single market;
proposed participation in a number of Community programmes, particularly in the fields of education, research, the environment and audiovisuals.
encouraging cooperation on border management issues, flows of people, trafficking in human beings, organised crime, money laundering and economic and financial crime;
improving links between the EU in areas of energy, transport and information technology;
intensifying political dialogue and cooperation in fight against terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and regional conflict resolution.
These action plans for each country constitute a work programme with the EU for 3-5 years. They continue and put into practice the work in the context of the association and cooperation agreements.
Adoption of the action plan for Israel had been delayed for a long time due to the divergences about the exact formulation on the wording for non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (divergences that the Commission refused to allude to when addressing the press). The text that was finally retained stipulates that the two sides develop their dialogue and cooperation in this area on the basis of the respective strategies that the EU (in 2003) and Israel (1992) adopted in this respect. They also make a commitment to strengthening their political dialogue and identify the areas for cooperation in view of a comprehensive settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as a "permanent solution" based on the existence of two states co-existing in peace and security "in compliance with the road map" of the Quartet and the obligations that result thereof for the two sides. According to Ms Ferrero Waldner, Israel had never previously agreed to such commitments in writing to any other partner. The EU has obtained a "firm commitment" from the Palestinian Authority that the reforms will be implemented, underlined the Commissioner. The EU is committed to continuing its assistance.