The "European Neighbourhood Policy" was set up in 2004 to encompass relations with states that border the enlarged EU. It covers political and economic and cultural cooperation with 16 countries that have land or sea borders with the European Union. Wednesday MEPs will debate reports on the progress of the policy. We spoke to the MEPs who drafted the report, British Conservative Charles Tannock and Spanish Socialist Raimon Obiols. The debated is live online from around 1530 CET today.1.- What are the main objectives of the policy and are they being achieved?
Charles Tannock: The European Neighbourhood Policy's (ENP) declared function is to establish around the EU a common area of peace, stability, security, respect for human rights, democracy, the rule of law and prosperity. Its vision is a ring of countries or ‘circle of friends', drawn into further integration, but without any implications or undertakings for them becoming full members of the EU (which is not excluded).
In reality the report recognizes that the track record so far is patchy with results varying considerably among the ENP partner countries. Another important aspect of the ENP and the strategic partnership with Russia, is to facilitate cross-border cooperation with countries along the EU’s external land and maritime borders. The report supports generous budgetary assistance to make the ENP a greater reality.
Obiols: I think we are indeed succeeding in expanding an area of stability and prosperity towards the East and the South of Europe; there are difficulties and problems, but the tendency is positive.
2.- How do you believe the European Neighbourhood Policy should evolve? What changes does your report call for?
T: The policy needs fresh momentum and more cohesion. It is always going to be difficult to achieve the same degree of integration with the EU of partner countries as different as say Moldova and Morocco. The report recognises that the unified nature of the ENP as a principal external EU policy is here to stay for the foreseeable future but it is questionable if it is durable in the very long term given the diversity between the southern and eastern partner countries.
The ENP report places great importance for partner countries to make a commitment to the rule of law, responsible governance, respect for human rights and equal opportunities, the principles of the social market economy and sustainable economic development. In return ENP it gives them improved access to the EU's highly successful single market, and in some cases the possibility of concluding ‘Association Agreements’ and free trade agreements with the EU.
O: We would like to have a balance between Eastern and Southern/Mediterranean countries and in this respect we should not prioritize one perspective over the other, but adopt a balanced approach. We should not complicate things, but instead look for the simplest approach, which in the case of Mediterranean means strengthening Euro-Mediterranean politics via the ENP. We should also look for a multilateral approach on one hand and for prioritized action plans on the other hand.
Q. Can Europeans look to the ENP to help settle current disputes and conflicts around their borders?
T: I believe additional financial resources and political depth to the ENP can be of help and the report emphasises that the so-called frozen conflicts (such as Transnistria in Moldova, South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh) must be an EU political priority. The report argues that an eastern dimension Parliamentary Assembly should be set-up to improve dialogue between MEPs and MPs from Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, with Russia and Turkey as observers. It advocates increased financial support for civil society in authoritarian Belarus and cheaper visa assistance to students to travel to the EU and participate in the Erasmus programme.
O: The Reform Treaty, as far as it reinsures the existence of an external representative of the Union and develops the possibility of an external community service, can be an incentive towards what a lot of us want, which is that Europe speaks with a single voice as regards globalisation.
Source: European Parliament News Service
