Brussels, 27/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - Using the written procedure, the European Commission adopted a Communication on the Western Balkans on Friday to consolidate stability and raise prosperity in the region. The Communication sets out concrete measures to reinforce the EU's policy and instruments like the creation of a regional free trade zone and facilitating the granting of visas. The Communication will help prepare for the meeting of EU and Western Balkans foreign ministers planned by the Austrian Presidency in Satzburg on 10-11 March. EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said on Friday: “While the Kosovo status process is moving ahead, we need to encourage the people of the Western Balkans to look forward to their European future, not back to the nationalism of the past. The best way to do that is to focus on practical measures which will integrate their economies and societies into the European mainstream.” Rehn asked people in the Western Balkans not to only ask what the EU can do for them but to also ask what they can do to help themselves.
To promote trade, investment and the economic and social development of the region, the Commission is suggesting: 1) the rapid conclusion of a regional Free Trade Agreement among the countries of the region (the process was launched in June 2005 and should be complete by the autumn and come into force in 2007); 2) establishing a zone of 'diagonal cumulation of origin' between the EU and the countries of region that have concluded free trade agreements with the EU (currently Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), as a first step before the inclusion of the region in the Pan-Euro-Med System of the Barcelona Process countries; 3) The process under the European Charter for Small Enterprises will be extended for the Western Balkans for another three years, and the Commission plans to contribute approximately €60m in 2006 to the recently established European Fund for South-East Europe. The European Commission will also prepare for the implementation of the treaty establishing an Energy Community between the EU and partner countries in the region, due to come into force in the second half of this year. With the aid of the Austrian Presidency, the European Commission will be organising a meeting in Geneva in June 2006 of employment ministers and social partners (employers and trade unions) of the Western Balkans to discuss how to fight exclusion and promote social integration.
The Commission's Communication also proposes measures 'to help integrate Western Balkan societies progressively into the European mainstream'. For example, in 2006 the Commission plans to publish initiatives for visa facilitation for the Western Balkans in 2006. It will be starting preliminary talks with the Balkan States, starting with Macedonia early this year, to be able to submit a draft EU negotiating mandate for these countries later this year. The Commission points out that the talks will be carried out in line with progress in the EU's current talks on readmission agreements (on allowing illegal immigrants to be returned to their country of origin). In the spring of this year, the Commission will unveil draft legislation to simplify and accelerate procedures for issuing visas at local consulates. Other measures foreseen by the Commission include increasing the number of scholarships provided to undergraduate and graduate students and researchers from the region through a number of EU-financed programmes and institutions and a new regional higher education school in public administration will start its training activity in 2006.
The Commission says there should be a gradual transfer of the responsibilities of the Stability Pact to bodies based in the region and 'the countries of the Western Balkans are encouraged to acquire greater ownership of regional cooperation'. The Commission adds that 'the civil society dialogue - already started with the candidate countries in negotiations (Croatia and Turkey) - will be extended to the whole of the Western Balkans,' and 'the EU should ensure that its policy priorities for the Western Balkans are matched with commensurate financial support' under the future Financial Perspectives.
United Nations Special Envoy for the Balkans, Martti Ahtisaari, explained at a press conference with Olli Rehn on Friday that he wanted to see all sides in Vienna as soon as possible in February to launch talks on the future status of Kosovo (the talks were postponed following the recent death of Kosovan President Ibrahim Rugova). On Friday morning, Ahtisaari met the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, and the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, and was due to meet NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in the afternoon.