The European Neighbourhood

Policy:

Ukraine & Russia

Special Topics in Contemporary European Policies

2 December 2004

The ENP:

A New Stage in the EU’s Relations with Eastern Europe

• Benita Ferrero-Waldner: ‘The European Neighbourhood Policy is a

new policy that invites our neighbours to the East and South to share in the peace, stability and prosperity that we enjoy in the European Union and which aims to create a ‘ring of friends’ around the borders of the new enlarged EU.’

• reason for introducing a new policy

- avoid emergence of new dividing lines

- ‘to enjoy and prosper from the positive effects the enlargement brings for everyone’

rosy picture

Russia & Ukraine: negative effects

ENP Timeline

• March 2003: ‘Wider Europe – Neighbourhood: A New Framework for Relations with our Eastern and Southern Neighbours’

• July 2003: ‘Paving the Way for a New Neighbourhood Instrument’

• July 2003: Wider Europe task force & Wider Europe Inter-Service group

• October 2003: proposals for action plans

• October 2003-May 2004:

- 2 progress reports

- discussions

- exploratory talks

• 12 May 2004: ENP Strategy Paper & Country Reports

• 11 October 2004: Commission Proposal for European Neighbourhood & Partnership Instrument (financial)

ENP: Partners & Goals

• Countries addressed by ENP;

- Western NIS (Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus)

- Russian Federation

- Southern Mediterranean: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia

- Latter added: Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia

• Objectives:

- ‘sharing the benefits of the EU’s 2004 enlargement with neighbouring countries in strengthening stability, security and well-being for all concerned’

- ‘built on mutual commitment to common values’

- distinct from membership

ENP: Components

1. Strategy Paper of May 2004

2. Draft Action Plans (tba)

3. European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) 2007-2013

4. Country Reports

5. Later steps European Neighbourhood Agreements?

- Method: Action Plans

- Financial cooperation; European Neighbourhood Instrument (will replace TACIS/MEDA)

Ukraine – EU Cooperation

• Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA)Concluded in June 1994, came into force in March 1998

• The EU Common Strategy on Ukraine Adopted by the Council on 11 December 1999 in Helsinki

• European Neighbourhood Policy2004

Institutional Framework in Ukraine

• Strategy of Integration of Ukraine into the EU– 11 June 1998

• Concept of Adaptation of Ukrainian Laws to the Legislation of the EU.

• Programme of Integration to the EU

– September 2000

Channels and areas of cooperation

• 7 priorities of the EU-Ukraine cooperation:

1. energy, 2. trade and investments, 3. justice and home affairs, 4. adaptation of the Ukrainian legislation to that of the EU,

environment, transport, 5. trans-border cooperation, 6. collaboration in the sphere of science, technology and outer space.

• The EU-Ukraine dialogue is carried out through

• Annual meetings of the EU-Ukraine Summit with the participation of the President of Ukraine;

• Cooperation Council with the participation of the Prime-Minister of Ukraine;

• Cooperation Committee; • Committee on parliamentary cooperation; • Regular Ukraine-EU Triyka meetings; • Permanent expert consultations.

Attitude towards the ENP

• The Ukraine – EU Summit in the Hague on July 8 2004

President Kuchma criticized the ENP

refused to sign a prepared action plan for Ukraine within the policy's framework

Russia and the European Union: A Strategic Partnership

1994: PCA

• Policy areas: - Trade & economic cooperation- Cooperation in science & technology, energy, environment &

transport- Political Dialogue - Justice & Home Affairs

• Institutional framework:- 2 summits - Cooperation Council - Cooperation Committee (senior official level)- 9 sub-committees (working level)

1997: EU Northern Dimension Initiative

June 1999 EU Common Strategy towards Russia

October 1999 ‘Medium Term Strategy for the Development of the Relation

between RF & EU’

2001: Common Economic Space

2003: New Neighbourhood - Wider Europe Initiative

‘Strategic Partnership’

- common economic space - common space of freedom, security and justice - space of cooperation in the field of external security - space of research, education & culture

EU – Russia Summit 25 November 2004

- not very succesful- events in Ukraine- lack of enthusiasm

2 possible consequences

1. Russia: increased pragmatism in relations with EU

2. EU: demand for special treatment undermined idea of common ENP from very start

weakening of ENP as new foreign policy instrument