PROVOCĂRI LA ADRESA SECURITĂŢII ŞI STRATEGIEI LA ÎNCEPUTUL SECOLULUI XXI

- to reaffirm the European perspective of the countries of the
Western Balkans in the Stabilization and Association Process.
- to enforce relations with the Southern Mediterranean countries
to be based on a long term approach promoting reform,
sustainable development and trade
The EU’s external borders will not become new dividing lines but
the focus of enhanced co-operation [1].
The accession of the new member states will strengthen the
Union’s interest in enhancing relations with the new neighbours. Over the
coming decade and beyond, the Union’s capacity to provide security,
stability and sustainable development to its citizens will no longer be
distinguishable from its interest in close cooperation with the neighbours
[2].
Interdependence – political and economic – with the Union’s
neighbourhood is already a reality. The emergence of the euro as a
significant international currency has created new opportunities for
intensified economic relations. Closer geographical proximity means the
enlarged EU and the new neighbourhood will have an equal stake in
furthering efforts to promote trans-national flows of trade and investment as
well as even more important shared interests in working together to tackle
transboundary threats - from terrorism to air-borne pollution. The
neighbouring countries are the EU’s essential partners: to increase our
mutual production, economic growth and external trade, to create an
enlarged area of political stability and functioning rule of law, and to foster
the mutual exchange of human capital, ideas, knowledge and culture.
General Affairs and External Relations Council [3] (GAERC)
launched the work, noting in particular the situation of Ukraine, Moldova
and Belarus – new neighbours on the Union’s land border.
The Commission prepared a Communication exposing the concept.
This approach was broadly endorsed by the Council and by our Heads of
state and government. Later, it was presented another Communication on
cross-border-co-operation at the enlarged Union’s external borders and on
the establishment of a new neighbourhood financial instrument. Recently,
the Commission tabled proposals for new regulations aiming at facilitating
local border traffic. The establishment of a special ‘local’ visa regime is
envisaged. Preparation of the Action Plans has already started. Within the
Commission was taken some measures to better organize the work on Wider
Europe.
European Council [4] confirmed that the Union should take the
opportunity offered by enlargement to enhance relations with its neighbours
on the basis of shared values [5]. The European Council welcomes the
Commission's proposals for a European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The
European Council reiterates the importance it attaches to strengthening cooperation
with these neighbours, on the basis of partnership and joint
ownership and building on shared values of democracy and respect for
human rights [6]. Work on its implementation is already under way. The
European Council in Brussels welcomed progress made on the Wider
Europe-New Neighbourhood Initiative. It urged the Council and the
Commission to take forward work in implementing this initiative with a
view to ensuring a comprehensive, balanced and proportionate approach.
This would include the establishment of a financial instrument, responding
to the needs to promote cross-border and regional/ transnational cooperation
on the external borders of the enlarged Union.
Enlargement gives new impetus to the effort of drawing closer to
the 385 million inhabitants of the countries who will find themselves on the
external land and sea border, namely Russia, the Western NIS and the
Southern Mediterranean.
The European Neighbourhood Policy sets ambitious objectives for
partnership with neighbouring countries based on strong commitments to
shared values and political, economic and institutional reforms. Partner
countries are invited to enter into closer political, economic and cultural
relations with the EU, to enhance cross border cooperation and to share
responsibility in conflict prevention and resolution. The Union offers the
prospect of a stake in its Internal Market and of further economic
integration.
The speed and intensity of this process will depend on the will and
capability of each partner country to engage in this broad agenda. The policy
builds upon and reinforces the existing framework of co-operation.
As far as the bilateral dimension of EU relations is concerned on
the two basic frameworks: Association Agreements or Partnership and
Cooperation agreements, including political dialogue. The most important
difference is that, in the Mediterranean, an explicit regional dimension
encouraging the development of intra-regional initiatives and cooperation in
a broad range of sectors is included.
This policy of promoting intra-regional cooperation consists of
three Chapters defined in the Barcelona Declaration supplementing the
bilateral framework: the Political and Security Chapter, Economic and
Financial Chapter and Social, Cultural and Human Chapter.
The Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (PCAs) in force with
Russia, Ukraine and Moldova grant neither preferential treatment for trade,
nor a timetable for regulatory approximation. Given the different starting
points and objectives it is clear that a new EU approach cannot be a one-
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