EUROPEAN COMMISSION PUTS FORWARD NEW INITIATIVE RELATED TO EASTERN PARTNERSHIP

Noyan Tapan

Dec 3, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Commission has
put forward an initiative related to the Eastern Partnership. The
initiative envisages a change in the European Union’s relations with
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. According
to a press release of the EU Office in Armenia, the Partnership
presupposes raising considerably the level of political involvement,
including signing new agreements on cooperation, long-term integration
into economy of the EU, and the opportunity for citizens to travel
easily in the territory of the EU. Extended measures of energy security
for all the interested sides, and additional financial assistance
are envisaged as well.

The new partnership includes measures to support 6 countries with
their socioeconomic development, and 5 important initiatives.

The European Commissioner for External Relations and European
Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that it is the time to
open a new page in EU’s relations with the Eastern neighbors. According
to her, the events taking place in Eastern Europe and the South
Caucasus have an impact on the security and stability of the EU. "Our
principle is that the progress should be in line with reform programs
of our partners, and this new package also offers more intensive
assistance to reach the envisaged goals," she said.

The Commission proposes establishing closer bilateral relations
with these countries and working out a new framework of multilateral
cooperation. The new major points of the initiative are the following:

– new agreements on cooperation, including comprehensive agreements
on free trade with all those who want and are ready to assume the
obligations proceeding from the agreements,

– EU-funded comprehensive programs to strengthen administrative
capacities of the partners,

– gradual integration with EU economy,

– encouraging the partners to develop a free trade network among each
other, which as a long-term goal may result in joining the economic
community of the Neighborhood,

– signing "pacts on movement and security", which will facilitate legal
trips to the EU, at the same time making the fight against corruption,
organized crime and illegal migration more efficient.

The above mentioned pacts will include the provisions on the
modernization of refugee shelters in line with EU standards and the
creation of integrated structures of border control, but the most
important goal is to ensure travels without an entry visa through
the territories of the partner states:

– the Commission should examine the opportunities of movement for work
purposes – with the prospect of opening the labor market of the EU,

– additional financial support, etc.

The Commission proposes launching the initative during the summit of
the Eastern Partnership in the spring of 2009.