16 European Neighbourhood Policy: Black
Sea Synergy
| (28560)
8478/07
COM(07) 160
| Commission Communication: Black Sea Synergy — A new regional cooperation initiative
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 11 April 2007
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| Deposited in Parliament | 19 April 2007
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| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 2 May 2007
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| Previous Committee Report | None; but see (28120) 16371/06: HC-iv (2006-07), para 14 (14 December 2006)
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| Discussed in Council | 14-15 May General Affairs and External Relations Council
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared, but further information requested
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Background
16.1 In the introduction to its Communication 16371/06 of 4 December
2006, which we considered on 14 December last,[44]
the Commission recalled the premise of the European Neighbourhood
Policy (ENP) — "that the EU has a vital interest in
seeing greater economic development and stability and better governance
in its neighbourhood". Responsibility lies primarily with
the countries themselves, "but the EU can substantially encourage
and support their reform efforts" and also recalled that
"the ENP remains distinct from the process of EU enlargement
— for our partners, considerably enhanced cooperation with
the EU is entirely possible without a specific prospect of accession
and, for European neighbours, without prejudging how their relationship
with the EU may develop in future, in accordance with Treaty provisions".
16.2 The first eighteen months had laid a substantial
foundation — a single policy framework, eleven ENP Action
Plans and a new financial instrument (the European Neighbourhood
Policy Instrument; ENPI) — and shown its worth. It was now
time for the EU to build upon this by strengthening its commitment
to the ENP via a series of proposals encompassing:
- Enhancing the trade and
economic component:
deep and comprehensive Free Trade Agreements with all partners;
enhanced support for reforms; efforts to improve trade and economic
regulatory environment and the investment climate; strengthened
economic integration and cooperation in key sectors.
- Facilitating mobility and managing migration:
removing obstacles to legitimate travel while at the same time
ensuring well-managed mobility and migration.
- Promoting people-to-people exchanges:
educational, youth, business and civil society exchanges; training;
increasing the visibility of the EU.
- Building a thematic dimension:
multilateral dialogue on energy, transport, environment, information
society, public health, financial services, border management
and migration.
- Strengthening political cooperation:
more active EU role in conflict resolution; informal ministerial
meeting with partner countries; intensified parliamentary co-operation.
- Enhancing regional cooperation:
particularly in the Black Sea region.
- Strengthening financial cooperation:
making the most of the new, larger funding instrument, including
a new Governance Facility and Investment Fund.
16.3 The Conclusions subsequently adopted at the
11 December 2006 GAERC underlined the importance the Council attaches
to the ENP "as one of the core priorities of the Union's
external action" and looked forward to considering future
proposals from the Commission.
The Commission Communication
16.4 The Black Sea Synergy Communication sets out
proposals for developing cooperation both within the Black Sea
region and between the region and the EU. The main proposals are:
Promoting democracy, respect for human rights
and good governance:
- Supporting existing regional
initiatives through sharing experience to promote and uphold human
rights and democracy.
- Providing training and exchange programmes.
- Stimulating a regional dialogue with civil society.
Managing movement and improving security:
- Improving border management
and customs cooperation to increase security and tackle cross-border
crime.
- This is to be achieved through practical cooperation,
sharing of experience and information, developing best practice,
training schemes and introducing common standards.
- It is anticipated that existing structures would
be used.
Addressing the frozen conflicts:
- A more active EU role through
increased political involvement in efforts to address the conflicts
(involving Moldova (Trans-Dniester), Georgia (Abkhazia and South
Ossetia), and between Armenia and Azerbaijan (Nagorno-Karabakh))
- Enhanced EU participation through e.g. monitoring,
promoting confidence building measures between divided parties
and through other initiatives (i.e. promoting good governance,
economic development).
Energy cooperation:
- Aim to provide a clear transparent
and non-discriminatory framework in line with the EU acquis
for energy production, transport and transit.
- Continued dialogue on energy supply security
and diversification.
- Promoting legal and regulatory harmonisation
through the Baku Initiative, the European Neighbourhood Policy
framework and the EU-Russia Energy dialogue.
- Initiatives include the potential expansion of
the Energy Community Treaty to Turkey, Moldova and Ukraine, Partnership
and Co-operation Agreements and trade agreements, World Trade
Organisation accession negotiations and other bilateral energy
agreements.
- Cooperation on the upgrading and construction
of energy infrastructure, ensuring a sustainable and ecological
approach.
- The EU will encourage significant investments
to achieve objectives.
Transport:
- Supporting regional transport
cooperation to improve the efficiency, safety and security of
transport operations (including aviation and maritime safety).
Environment:
- Encouragement of EU Member
States to work within the framework of regional seas conventions
(including the Black Sea Commission).
- Enhanced implementation of multilateral environmental
agreements and establishing more strategic environment cooperation
in the region.
- Promoting regional activities to combat climate
change.
Maritime Policy:
- Encouraging dialogue on maritime
policy to maximise sustainable growth and job creation.
- Encouraging cross sectoral cooperation and improving
safety and security of shipping.
Fisheries:
- Promoting sustainable development
through management, research, data collection and stock assessment.
Trade:
- Continuing EU support for trade
liberalisation (e.g. through World Trade Organisation accession
and Partnership and Cooperation Agreement negotiations with Russia
and Ukraine).
- Implementation of European Neighbourhood Policy
Action Plans' trade provisions.
- Tentative welcome for the establishment of free
trade areas.
Research and Education Networks:
- Stimulating cooperation, harmonisation
and establishing regulatory authorities.
- Promoting broadband infrastructure and online
services.
Science and Technology:
- Promoting capacity building
and dialogue with Black Sea countries.
Employment and social affairs:
- Promoting social cohesion and
better integration of minorities through training, information
sharing and awareness raising campaigns.
Regional Development:
- Funding received by Bulgaria
and Romania through EU regional policy funding will increase competitiveness
and have a knock on effect in the region (e.g. knowledge sharing).
16.5 The Commission plans also to enhance the existing
Black Sea Cross-Border Cooperation (funded through the
European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument) which aims
at supporting civil society and local level cooperation and contact
building in Black Sea coastal areas. New cross border cooperation
programmes will also take place between Bulgaria and Romania (funded
through the European Regional Development Fund) and between Bulgaria
and Turkey (through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance).
The activities of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(EBRD), European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Black Sea Trade
and Development Bank (BSTDB) are also highlighted in the Communication.
It is anticipated that new mechanisms for joint financing would
be developed.
16.6 The region contains five European Neighbourhood
Policy partner countries. European Neighbourhood Policy will be
achieved through the thematic dimension and the development of
Free Trade Agreements. Increased assistance and cooperation for
the ENP partners will have a knock on effect for the Black Sea
region.
16.7 There would be no new institutions and bureaucratic
structures. The majority of EU funding will be through established
Commission-managed programmes. The Commission plans to enhance
the existing Black Sea Cross-Border Cooperation Organisation,
which includes Turkey and Russia (funded through the European
Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument) which aims at supporting
civil society and local level cooperation and contact building
in Black Sea coastal areas, intends to apply for observer status,
and encourages Member States to do the same. New cross border
cooperation programmes will also take place between Bulgaria and
Romania (funded through the European Regional Development Fund)
and between Bulgaria and Turkey (through the Instrument for Pre-accession
Assistance). The Commission proposes "a kick off high level
political event" to provide political orientation and visibility
to EU-Black Sea Synergy, which might stimulate regular ministerial
meetings between EU and Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation
countries and between the EU and ENP partners from the Black Sea
region.
The Government's view
16.8 In his 4 May 2007 Explanatory Memorandum, the
Minister for Europe (Mr Geoffrey Hoon) at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office says that he supports efforts to bring greater coherence
to the EU's relations with the Black Sea region, particularly
as the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU on 1 January
2007 means that the external borders of the EU now extend to the
Black Sea. He notes that the EU's relations with the region are
primarily bilateral — with Turkey through the accession
negotiations; with Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan
through Action Plans in the context of the European Neighbourhood
Policy; and with Russia through the framework of the Partnership
and Cooperation Agreement — and broadly welcomes the areas
of focus set out in the Communication.
16.9 He supports the Commission's proposal to engage
with various regional organisations and encourage regional organisations
to cooperate better together and with the EU. He also agrees that
it is not desirable to set up new institutions or bureaucracies
to deal with Black Sea issues, and that the EC's contribution
to the region should be channelled through existing programmes
and complement European Neighbourhood Policy. He supports strengthening
European Neighbourhood Policy in the region and wants the Commission
to maintain its focus on supporting European Neighbourhood Policy
countries to implement their Action Plans.
16.10 He regards the promotion of economic and political
stability as key to the long-term development of the region and
creation of a safer neighbourhood and welcomes the focus on the
development of democracy, respect for human rights and good governance.
He also welcomes the focus on border management and security:
"A key priority is to step up the fight against cross border
crime and prevent illegal migration. An effective and coordinated
response is essential to fight against organised crime".
16.11 He also welcomes the Communication's focus
on trade: "The EU will continue to provide technical support
for these issues in line with Action Plans. We believe that support
for institution building, good governance, and economic reform
will pay dividends in the medium term".
16.12 Finally, he notes that he expects Council Conclusions
at the 14-15 Mary GAERC and at the 21-22 June European Council.
Conclusion
16.13 The Black Sea-South Caucasus region is
Europe's new borderland. The "frozen" conflicts —
all part of the post-Soviet legacy, and all in varying ways influenced
by Russia — drain economic resources and political energies
from weak countries and impoverished societies, generate corruption
and organized crime, prevent the consolidation of nation-states,
and foster instability and insecurity. As well as containing significant
energy resources themselves, the Black Sea-South Caucasus is in
turn the gateway to Central Asia.
16.14 Time will tell how well the Black Sea Synergy
endeavour succeeds. But a more coherent, long-term effort on the
lines described — wide-ranging and embracing all the major
players — plainly makes sense. We are reporting it to the
House because of the widespread interest in the region, its possibilities
and its challenges
16.15 We also clear the Communication. However,
in so doing, we would like to be reassured that strengthening
the EU dimension will not lead to any dilution of UK efforts,
particularly in an area to which both we and the Minister attach
importance, viz., strengthening civil society and good governance.
We would therefore like the Minister to confirm that the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office funding withdrawn from supporting Non-Governmental
Organisations in the region will be replaced by European Neighbourhood
Policy Instrument funding under this initiative.
44 Seeheadnote. Back
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