21 European Partnerships for the Western
Balkans
| (25067)
15010/03
COM(03) 684
| Draft Council Regulation on the establishment of European Partnerships in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
|
| Legal base | Article 181a(2) EC; consultation; QMV
|
| Document originated | 13 November 2003
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| Deposited in Parliament | 21 November 2003
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| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 27 November 2003
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | 8 December 2003 GAERC
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
21.1 The Thessaloniki European Council of June 2003 reiterated
the Council's determination to "fully and effectively"
support the integration of the Balkans countries into the EU,
once they meet the established criteria. The Council agreed further
to intensify relations between the EU and the Western Balkans,
building on practices used in the enlargement process, including
through the introduction of European Partnerships.
The draft Regulation
21.2 The draft Regulation provides for European Partnerships to
be drawn up for Albania. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro,
including Kosovo, as defined by United Nations Security Council
Resolution 1244 of 10 June 1999.
21.3 The European Partnerships will be based on the
political, economic and strategic priorities highlighted in the
Commission's Annual Reports on the Western Balkans countries.
They will identify priorities for action and serve as a checklist
against which to measure progress. They will reflect the particular
stage of development of each country, be tailored to their specific
needs and be drawn up following contacts with the countries concerned.
21.4 The Commission has been invited to submit the
first set of European Partnerships to the Council for approval
with the next Annual Reports on the Stabilisation and Accession
Process, which are due at the end of March 2004. The Partners
will be expected to respond by preparing and implementing plans
with a timetable and details of how they intend to address the
European Partnership's priorities in terms of financial and human
resources. The progress in implementing these priorities will
be monitored regularly by the Commission, notably in the Annual
Reports and through other structures set up under the EU-Balkans
Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP).
The Government's view
21.5 The Minister for Europe (Mr Denis MacShane)
comments:
"The Government strongly supports the launching
of European Partnerships. The UK played a leading role in ensuring
that this initiative was adopted at the Thessaloniki European
Council, and still more in shaping its development.
"The Government sees the Partnerships as
tools to enrich the SAP by borrowing elements from the EU's enlargement
process to encourage the Western Balkans to persist with reform,
while continuing to insist on strict standards of conditionality."
Conclusion
21.6 We report this development to draw attention
to steps being taken to fulfil the EU's expressed support for
the future integration of the countries of the Western Balkans
into the EU, once they have met the established criteria.
21.7 We now clear the document.
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