EU Foreign Ministers discuss relations with Neighbours
22.06.2011 | Publications
EU Foreign Ministers have agreed on the need to provide “greater
support to Neighbourhood Partners engaged in building deep and
sustainable democracy, to support inclusive economic development and to
strengthen both the Eastern and the Southern dimensions of the ENP, in
particular in the areas of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”
In the Conclusions adopted at the EU Foreign Affairs Council (June 20), the ministers underline that “stronger
political cooperation, closer economic integration and increased EU
support will depend on progress towards these reforms” and also invited the High Representative and the Commission “to put forward concrete proposals in support of civil society…”
Trade relations
Recongnising the economic benefits of enhancing trade in goods and services, the Council expressed support to “continuing
to pursue such integration through the establishment of Deep and
Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (DCFTAs) with ENP partners, as proposed
in the Joint Communication, as soon as conditions are met.”
Specifically
for the Southern Neighbours, it invited the Commission to submit
recommendations for negotiating directives for DCFTAs with selected
countries.
Mobility issues
The EU foreign ministers also refer to the fact that “well-managed
mobility of people is crucial for mutual understanding, business links
and economic growth both in the EU and in the partner countries” and invited the Commission “to pursue and intensify work with partners in the field on the basis of the Global Approach to Migration.”
In a reference to the Southern Neighbours, the Council notes “the EU will prepare the launch of negotiations for Mobility Partnerships with Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt, as a first group”, as proposed by the Commission in May 2011.
As for the Eastern Neighbrous, it says “the
EU will seek to conclude Mobility Partnerships with Armenia and will
also seek to launch negotiations on visa facilitation agreements in
parallel with readmission agreements with Belarus, for the benefit of
the population at large, as well as with Armenia and Azerbaijan.” The
Council welcomes the entering into force of the visa facilitation and
readmission agreements with Georgia and the progress reports on the
implementation of the Ukraine and Moldova Visa Liberalisation Action
Plans.
Financial support – new instrument
Furthermore, the Foreign Affairs Council underlines that “significantly
increased financial support of up to EUR 1.242 billion to address the
urgent needs and to respond to the new challenges and transformations
underway in the Neighbourhood will be decided in accordance with the
normal budgetary procedures and without prejudice notably to the
Multiannual Financial Framework.”
It says that in the context of the enhanced approach to the ENP,
“the Council looks forward to the Commission proposal to establish
under the next multi-annual financial framework a new European
Neighbourhood Instrument, which is based on a simplified programming, in
increasingly policy driven and provides for increased differentiation
on the basis of a ‘more for more’ approach.”
The new
instrument, the Conclusions read, will also support regional cooperation
and Cross Border Cooperation at the EU external board and in this
regard the Council underlines “the importance of flexible mechanisms for effective implementation”.
Eastern Partnership and Union for the Mediterranean
In their
Conclusions, the Foreign Ministers invite the High Representative and
the Commission to propose a roadmap to guide the further implementation
of the Eastern Partnership, drawing on the results of the Summit
to be held in September and taking into account the further
implementation of flagship initiatives and concrete projects, and
including proposals on how to enhance regional cooperation.
With regard to the Union for the Mediterranean,
the Council says it should be enhanced to organize effective and
result-oriented regional cooperation through concrete projects. It
welcomes the nomination of Youssef Amrani as Secretary General and also
reiterates its support to the UfM Secretariat.
Finally, the Council welcomed the setting up of the Task Force for the Southern Mediterranean “which will enhance the EU’s efforts to foster coherent international
support for the strengthening of democracy and inclusive economic
development in the Mediterranean region.”
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03.01
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07.10
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22.09
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17.08
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12.08
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30.09
