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Stages of Neighborhood Policy Implementation
To coordinate and implement the European Neighborhood Policy, in July 2003 in the European Commission a special unit called the “Wider Europe” (“Wider Europe Task Force”) was established. Initially it was headed by the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, a German, Gunter Verheugen. This unit brings together staff from the two directly affected Directors General of the EC – External Relations and Extension. Since November 2004, European Commissioner from Austria – Benita Ferrero-Waldner, became a head of the “Wider Europe”, who was responsible for External Relations and the European Neighborhood Policy. The “Wider Europe Task Force” coordinated the implementation of the ENP, in close collaboration with Javier Solana, who concurrently served as Secretary General of the Council of Ministers of the EU and High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, respective chairman of the EU and the EU member states. Task Force was responsible for the development of future political concept of the EPP, the development of action plans for the corresponding countries, follow-up control of their implementation and for application of the European Neighborhood Instrument.
According to the document “About the bases of a new Neighborhood Policy Instrument” developed by the European Commission in July 2003, the establishment of the new Neighborhood Instrument has been divided into two periods. During the first period (2004-2006), a so-called acquaintance with the neighborhood program was supposed to happen. Funding of these programs was implemented within the framework of existing instruments and in the amounts provided up to 2006. Until 2006, the existing TACIS programs remained the main instruments of the EU cooperation with Russia, Belarus, Moldova and the Ukraine. In addition, these countries had the opportunity to finance small projects in collaboration with the Interreg. Programs CARDS, MEDA were spread in the southern Mediterranean countries [334, pp. 8-11]. Belarus failed to take advantage of the new approach in that period. Beginning from 2007, a new Neighborhood Instrument was created, and a new funding amount was approved [334, pp. 11-12]. During this period, Belarus expects to implement the complete connection to the neighborhood program in case of identical assessments of Belarus and the EU on the progress and results of presidential elections in Belarus in 2006.
Positive changes in the political sphere of the relationships could create some advantages for Belarus compared to other neighboring countries. So, for Belarus as the first neighboring country the possibility of a new type of agreement with the EU – an agreement on the neighborhood – would open up. Beginning with the adoption of the EU special statement on Belarus in September 1997, which resulted in the suspension of the ratification of the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between the EU and Belarus on 5 March 1995. Interim Agreement on Trade and technical assistance programs (except humanitarian sphere), the relations of the Republic of Belarus and the EU are not in sustainable development, . Trade relations are carried out on the basis of the Agreement on Trade and Commercial and Economic Cooperation between the USSR and the EU, concluded in 1989 and the Agreement on Trade in Textile Products signed in 1993 by the EU and Belarus. Such a contractual basis does not meet the interests of both Belarus and the EU. It should be borne in mind that after joining the EU new members denounced the bilateral agreements with third countries, including Belarus, that do not meet the EU standards. It was assumed that given the fact that the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation with Belarus has not yet been ratified, and therefore structures for its implementation have not been established and didn’t operate, and the content of this Agreement was already outdated, it would be inappropriate to continue the ratification procedure, a simpler and more logical solution would be to conclude an agreement on the neighborhood.
Some positive changes in relations between the EU and Belarus in 2003 did not receive development. The European Union has adopted a series of new tough decisions regarding Belarus: the results of parliamentary elections and a referendum held on 17 October 2004 were not recognized; a ban on issuing visas to EU countries in respect of some senior officials in Belarus was introduced.
See also: Strategic and Tactical Aspects of Neighborhood Policy Implementation
© National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 2011
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