7. We consider that the following raises
questions of political importance, and recommend its further
consideration by European Standing Committee B, together with the
Regulation on aid to the Former Yugoslavia, (17217) 7312/96,
already so recommended:--
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(17557)
10602/96
COM(96)476 |
Commission Report on common principles for future
contractual relations with certain countries in South Eastern
Europe. |
Background
7.1 This report sets out the broad lines of an
approach for the development of contractual relations (for
example the negotiation of Association or Partnership and
Co-operation Agreements) between the Community and what it
describes as "certain countries in South Eastern
Europe". By these, the report means states of the former
Yugoslavia, in particular the Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia (FYROM), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, together with the Republic of
Albania.
The contents of the report
7.2 The report distinguishes between, on the one
hand, Albania and FYROM, which were not involved in the war in
former Yugoslavia, are not parties to the peace agreements and
which have some existing contractual arrangements with the EC;
and, on the other, the states which were involved in the
conflict. It suggests that this will lead to variations in the
content of any further EC agreements with Albania and FYROM. But
the report also notes that these two countries have significant
minority populations and stresses the importance of their
stability to the overall stability of the region.
7.3 The report sets out the conditions which must
apply to any agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and
the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including compliance with
peace agreements, respect for human and minority rights and
cross-border co-operation.
The Government's view
7.4 In an Explanatory Memorandum dated 31 October,
the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr
Davis), says that the report
"offers a sensible broad basis for the
development of relations with the countries concerned. The
Government is committed to ensuring that the parties comply fully
with their obligations under the peace agreements and with other
conditionality. The Government believes strongly that the goals
of regional stability, economic development and co-operation can
only be achieved within the framework of a regional approach of
the kind proposed."
7.5 The Minister tells us that no new funds are
envisaged and that funds for the region from the PHARE programme
and the specific financial regulation for Former Yugoslavia will
be used for projects which will support economic and other
cross-border co-operation between the parties.
Conclusions
7.6 The Commission's report examines the basis
for future contractual arrangements with these states of former
Yugoslavia and the Republic of Albania in some detail.
7.7 In our view, it raises matters of political
and topical importance. We have already reported[17] on document 7312/96, which
was a proposed Regulation on financial assistance to the former
Yugoslavia and we have recommended that it should be debated in
European Standing Committee B. We pointed to the level of
financial assistance being provided to former Yugoslavia both by
the EC and bilaterally by the UK, and to the frequent reports of
failure by one side or another in the conflict to comply with the
conditions attached to the peace agreements. The debate has not
yet taken place.
7.8 The arrival of this further document is
therefore timely, since it sets out the Commission's proposals
for a broad framework of conditions for future relations with
four states which were involved in the conflict and two which are
in the same region and which were both threatened by it.
7.9 Our conclusion is that this document should
be debated on the occasion of the debate which we have already
recommended. The debate should provide an opportunity for a
wide-ranging debate on EU aid to the former Yugoslavia (and to
Albania) and its future relations with those countries.
17.(17217) 7312/96; see HC 51-xxvi (1995-96),
paragraph 1 (17 July 1996) and HC 51-xxvii (1995-96), paragraph
5 (16 October 1996). Back
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