From Libya to Belarus: MEPs review relations with EU neighbours

Since its launch in 2004 the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) "has proven ineffective to meet its human rights and democracy objectives", says a report on the ENP's "southern dimension" by Mario David (EPP, PT), one of two approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. The other, on the "eastern dimension", was by Marek Siwiec (S&D, PL).

The revised ENP should focus on the so-far "neglected dialogue with civil society organisations and democratic forces" in ENP countries, said the rapporteurs at a joint press conference. Both reports underline that this would entail investing EU financial aid in projects designed to build partnerships with societies and not just with national governments, which in turn would require making better use of the European instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).

The ENP covers 16 countries in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, North Africa and the Middle East. The list includes six post-Soviet states: Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus (although ENP co-operation is not yet operational there), Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The southern dimension includes Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria and Tunisia. 

Mediterranean unrest

The review of the ENP's southern dimension was of course marked by conflicts still under way in the Mediterranean. The EU should learn lessons from those events and help countries in transition to democracy, but in exchange they must meet their contractual obligations regarding human rights, said the Foreign Affairs Committee.  MEPs urged the EU "to create an implementation mechanism" to make it easier to trigger the clause suspending an agreement with a third country in the event of serious violations of human rights.

On the EU's bilateral agreements with each country, the committee calls for more transparency about how the Commission gets its brief for negotiating "advanced status" with partner countries, and stresses the need for clear criteria for attributing this status. Parliament must be involved in this process, MEPs say. The Tunisian regime led by President Ben Ali was one of those negotiating an "advanced status" with the EU right before the uprising.

In line with recent Commission proposals, MEPs favour facilitating visa procedures for all Mediterranean partners - especially for students, researchers and business agents - and recommend adopting a Euro-Mediterranean partnership for mobility. Here the committee regrets "the asymmetrical approach" taken towards eastern and southern neighbours on mobility, and reiterates that readmission agreements can apply only to irregular immigrants, and hence must exclude those who declare themselves asylum seekers, refugees or people in need of protection.

Finally, MEPs reiterate the need to increase the funds allocated to the ENP for 2014-20 and back plans to create  a Euro-Mediterranean co-development financial institution. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is also invited to change its statutes so that it can contribute to this financial aid.

Eastern dimension

The key point in the committee's resolution on the ENP's eastern dimension is that the forthcoming strategic review of the ENP should "strengthen performance-based differentiation based on clearly-defined benchmarks." MEPs call for "clearer and more rigorous differentiation and conditionality" with respect to the EU's eastern partners, "where ambition and commitments are followed by implementation and real progress is followed by concrete steps towards a European perspective." Mr Siwiec stressed that such an "à la carte" menu for each country's European prospects could help to spur reform.

On key challenges facing the region, the resolution notes that the "fight against corruption, in particular in the judiciary and the police, should be a top priority for the EU in the development of its relations with the eastern partners."

On Belarus, MEPs say that the recent developments were "an affront to the EU's vision of respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law". To take the tension out of "frozen conflicts" in the region, they call on the EU's foreign policy High Representative to develop "innovative approaches, such as informal contacts and consultations with the societies and de facto authorities of the breakaway territories, while conserving the EU's non-recognition policy."

What's next?

Parliament is likely to vote on these reports at its 4-7 April plenary session. The European Commission is to publish the ENP reform proposals on 20 April.

In the chair: Gabriele ALBERTINI (EPP, IT)

MEPs