STRENGTHENING OF THE EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD
POLICY
Letter from the Chairman to Rt Hon Geoff
Hoon MP, Minister for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Sub-Committee C on 14 December considered the
above document. Pending clearing the Communication from scrutiny,
they expressed their intention to continue to scrutinise the European
Neighbourhood Policy very closely.
You will recall that the Select Committee on
the European Union recently published a report on EU enlargement
(53rd report of session 2005-06), which makes a number of recommendations
on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The report noted particularly
that the ENP should be "membership neutral": for those
countries which might have the perspective of joining, membership
of the ENP should be without prejudice to possible membership
of the EU.
The Explanatory Memorandum contained very little
detail on the financial implications of the ENP and we would be
grateful for a full overview of financial commitments under the
ENP for 2007-13, broken down by year, major subject area, and
source of funding.
The Sub-Committee noted again that they had
been given very little time to consider the document, and would
request a longer lead time to enable them to give documents proper
time for scrutiny.
19 December 2006
Letter from Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP to the
Chairman
Thank you for your letter of 19 December about
the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European
Pariiarnent on strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy
(ENP).
The Commission Communication makes clear that
the ENP should remain distinct from the question of enlargement,
that it should not be considered as an "alternative to enlargement"
and that the ENP does not prejudge how the relationship of the
eastern neighbours with the EU may develop in accordance with
existing Treaty provisions. This is consistent with UK policy
and with the recommendation of the report on EU enlargement by
the Select Committee on the European Union (53rd report of session
2005-06) that the ENP should remain "membership neutral".
I have submitted an Explanatory Memorandum on
the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI),
from which almost all of the funding required to support the ENP
will come. A small amount of additional funding will be channelled
through the thematic programmes defined in the Development Co-operation
Instrument and through the new Instrument for Democracy and Human
Rights. ENP partner countries will also have access to the Stability
Instrument and the Nuclear Assistance Instrument.
There is no year-by-year breakdown of the anticipated
spend from the ENPI. In 2007 the anticipated spend is €1.47
billion. A wide range of subject areas are eligible for funding.
Funds are allocated to country programmes based on partner countries'
needs and absorption capacity as well as their implementation
of agreed reforms. Programmes usually focus on three to four priority
areas helping countries in their plans to tackle issues such as
democracy, economic and social development and peaceful settlement
of conflicts.
Finally, I realise that the Sub-Committee had
little time to consider the Explanatory Memorandum before the
General Affairs and External Relations Council on 11-12 December
and the European Council on 14-15 December. However, we had no
control over the timing of the publication of the Commission Communication
and my Explanatory Memorandum was submitted promptly—just
two days after the Communication was published.
I will of course continue to keep you up to
date on developments with regard to the ENP and welcome the close
interest you are taking.
9 January 2007
| 
