EUbusiness

Caucasus countries move toward closer alignment with EU

03/03/2005

By Ahto Lobjakas

The European Commission has adopted detailed “country reports” describing
progress toward reform in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The reports are
an important step as the three states move toward closer alignment with the
EU. The so-called neighbourhood action plans outline specific reforms the EU
expects of the countries and details the advantages the bloc will offer in
return.
(RFE/RL) — Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan have taken another important
step on the road toward closer alignment with the EU.
On 2 March, the European Commission adopted “country reports” on the three
south Caucasus states, as well as Lebanon and Egypt. The reports are a
detailed overview of the countries’ progress toward adopting EU values such
as rule of law, democracy, and a market economy.
Francoise Le Bail, a Commission spokeswoman, said the decision marks the
completion of the first phase the EU’s Neighborhood Policy — the bloc’s
program to reach out to countries on its rim.
Le Bail said that the completion puts the states on the way to obtaining
their own EU neighbourhood action plan. The action plans detail obligations
on both sides for increased cooperation.
“These are measures within the framework of the neighborhood policy, which
is a policy directed at countries to the east of the enlarged European
Union, as well as the Mediterranean countries,” Le Bail said. “We have
already adopted a certain number of ‘country reports’ and ‘action plans’ for
some countries, we’re therefore now completing this action with the ‘country
reports’ on five countries. And it is on the these ‘country reports’ that
the ‘action plans — containing concrete measures for cooperation between
these countries and the EU — will be based.”
The EU neighborhood policy is directed at a ring of countries stretching
from Morocco to Ukraine and Moldova. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan were
initially excluded from the policy, but were taken on board largely as a
result of the “Rose revolution” in Georgia that took place in November 2003.
The three south Caucasus countries, together with Lebanon and Egypt, should
have their “action plans” by the end of the year. So far, Israel, Ukraine
and Jordan have already signed theirs, with Morocco, Moldova, the
Palestinian Authority and Tunisia about to do so.
The Commission has in recent months repeatedly stressed the neighborhood
policy does not carry with it an EU commitment to eventually admit any of
the beneficiary countries. The clarifications have been partly sparked by
pressure from Ukraine to be put on a fast track to EU membership.
Another Commission official who asked not to be named explained on 2 March
that the action plans consist of what he called two “baskets.”
The first basket contains conditions set by the EU — that is, reforms aimed
at strengthening the rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights, as
well as certain foreign policy commitments, such as non-proliferation and
counter-terrorism measures. These, the official said, are all specific
measures which the EU will closely measure.
The other “basket” contains the EU offer. This could involve participation
in EU programs, policies and agencies, approximation of national law with EU
legislation to make cooperation and trade easier, and opportunities for
people-to-people contacts.
The further countries go with reforms, the greater the degree of cooperation
the EU will offer.
EU officials say that once the three-year action plans have successfully run
their course, new and more extensive cooperation agreements may be offered.
The neighbourhood policy could lead to a near-complete integration in the
EU’s single market.
On 1 March, RFE/RL spoke with Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili.
She welcomed the Commission’s decision regarding her country, but indicated
it had been a long time coming. “[We react] very positively,” Zurabishvili
said. “We’ve been looking forward to that, already for some time since our
versions of the country reports were transmitted to the EU already in the
fall of last year, so we’ve been waiting for quite some time.”
Georgia is seen by the EU as the most advanced nation in the region. It
hosts the only full European Commission mission. There is a smaller
“regional mission” in Yerevan, which reports to the one in Tbilisi. A
similar small-scale mission will be launched this year in Baku.
Georgia’s country report is the least critical, with relatively few problems
identified when in comes to political reforms. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan
are criticized for deficient legislation, breaches of fundamental freedoms
and a general lack of willingness to reform.
The reports note widespread Russian influence on decision-making in both
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The EU has no immediate plans to become directly involved in helping resolve
the region’s so-called frozen conflicts. However, it is currently
considering setting up a border monitoring mission in Georgia and has
contributed funds to the economic rehabilitation of areas affected by
conflict.
Commission officials say they are confident Russia will not react negatively
to EU moves to engage the South Caucasus, though they admit security
cooperation in the ex-Soviet space is one of the most sensitive issues in
EU-Russia attempts to agree a framework for their strategic partnership.
Officials in Brussels say the EU has made it very clear the bloc is not
intent on weakening Russian influence in the region and encourages
governments in the South Caucasus to pursue good relations with Moscow.

European Neighbourhood Policy: Georgia

European Neighbourhood Policy: Armenia

European Neighbourhood Policy: Azerbaijan

European Neighbourhood Policy – further information

Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.