Brussels, 15/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - On 10 May, the European Commission adopted a communication to the Council and European Parliament on the development of its “external service” in 2007-2008. Among other things, it provides for the opening of new delegations, the upgrade of “regionalised” delegations to fully-fledged delegations, and the creation of new postings.
Opening of new delegations in 2007. Following ratification of the Cotonou Agreement by East Timor, the Commission plans to open a delegation. A “special envoy” has already been posted there on a long-term mission, primarily to prepare the opening of a new delegation. The Commission also proposes to open a delegation in Azerbaijan, after repeated delays for budgetary reasons. Currently a “special envoy” makes regular missions, but it has been decided that this intermittent presence is insufficient in view of the EU's developing relations with Baku. Ahead of the setting up of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with a sovereign and independent Montenegro, on which negotiations were completed in late 2006, it is planned to open a delegation in Podgorica in 2007. A “special envoy” has been appointed until the delegation opens. Finally, the Commission intends to open a representation to the African Union in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), to ensure the “appropriate degree of Commission presence and support for this organisation … (which has) become a major player on the continent in the areas of politics, economics and trade, and in regional crisis management”. The new representation will be specifically for the African Union, and will be distinct from the Ethiopia Delegation, although there will be many synergies.
Upgrading of regionalised delegations. The Commission proposes to upgrade the delegation in Armenia, which is currently attached to the delegation in Georgia, to a fully-fledged delegation, in 2007. It feels that “in tandem with the opening of the delegation in Azerbaijan, the upgrading of the delegation in Armenia - a partner country in the European Neighbourhood Policy - would complete the Commission network in the countries of the Southern Caucasus, strengthening the presence of the European Union”. Also in 2007, the Commission proposes to upgrade the regionalised delegation in Cape Verde to a fully-fledged delegation.
New postings to be created in 2007. In the wake of the signing of the peace agreement between the government in Khartoum and the authorities in Southern Sudan (Juba), the Commission proposes to open an office in Juba, attached to the delegation in Khartoum. It also plans to send a Commission staff member to a member state embassy in Iran, “if relations between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran permit it”. Finally, as the capital of Kazakhstan has been transferred from Almaty to Astana, part of the delegation will also be transferred to this new destination. The sections covering aid management will remain in Almaty, and will continue to fulfil the delegation's regional role in Kazakhstan as regards the regionalised delegations in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on a temporary basis.
The Commission calculates that, for all the actions to be implemented in 2007, start-up costs will be €4,150,470 and annual running costs will be €9,333,970.
Other actions to be scheduled for 2008. The Commission also plans to open a delegation in Uzbekistan and a representation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, as well as upgrading the regionalised delegations in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to fully-fledged delegations. In addition, the regionalised delegation in Nepal, which is currently attached to the delegation in India, and the regionalised delegation in Yemen, currently attached to the delegation in Jordan, should also be upgraded to fully-fledged delegations. The earlier proposed upgrading of the regionalised delegation in Yemen was postponed for budgetary reasons. There are still plans to upgrade the regionalised delegations in Djibouti, Togo and Liberia. Liberia had a fully-fledged delegation until the civil war broke out. The full text of the communication can be found at: http: //eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2007/com2007_0206en01.pdf (ol)