European Report
July 10, 2004

COUNTRY REPORTS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANS IN VIEW FOR SOUTHERN CAUCASUS
TRIO.

The EU is set to draw up Action Plans with Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia to boost ties under European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP),
although not before the European Commission has prepared in-depth
reports on the political and economic situation in these countries.
This was confirmed by the July 5-8 visit to the Southern Caucasus* of
‘shadow’ Enlargement/Neighbourhood Commissioner Janez Potocnik,
during which the ENP initiative was the primary focus. Commission
officials told Europe Information that the idea was to produce the
country reports by Spring 2005. The preparation of jointly-agreed
Action Plans could then get under way during the course of next year.
The word from sources in Yerevan, Armenia, where Mr Potocnik
concluded his visit, was that the country report would ideally be
finalised by the end of 2004, although realistically this was more
likely to happen by next Spring. EU Member States agreed to include
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in ENP on June 14.

* Georgia July 5-6, Azerbaijan July 6-7, Armenia July 7-8
From: Baghdasarian