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Strategic and Tactical Aspects of Neighborhood Policy Implementation
On 12 May 2004 the European Commission introduced the new document – a strategy of the “European Neighborhood Policy”, which concretizes the EU's approach to relations with neighboring countries, countries of the Caucasus – Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan – which were also proposed to be included to those. The initiative of expanding the geography of the ENP into three Caucasian countries was due conditioned by the fact that within the European Security Policy, adopted by the European Council in December 2003, South Caucasus has been identified as a region, which the EU should show more active interest in.
The strategy establishes the principles, geographical frames, and methodology of the ENP realization. Along with this strategy, the EC introduced seven country reports, that is, with respect to countries with which the EU signed the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation (Moldova, the Ukraine) and Agreement on Association (Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Palestinian Authority and Tunisia). These reports analyze the political and economic situation in the country, the existing problems in these areas. Thus, the report on the Ukraine has 29 pages. On the basis of the Strategy and country reports specific action plans with each partner country should be developed.
The method, proposed by the EC, is that together with the partner country, to define priorities, implementation of which will bring this country to the EU standards. These priorities must be taken in a jointly agreed plan of action, and they address the specific events in some central areas: political dialogue and reforms; trade and measures to prepare a partner to a gradual membership in the EU internal market; justice and internal affairs; energy, transportation, information technologies, environment, research and innovation, social policy and the contacts of the population (people-to-people) [276, sec. 3].
In general, the subject of the action plan are two volume spheres. Firstly, the commitment to implementation of actions that confirm or reinforce the commitment of the partner country's to shared values and specific goals in the sphere of CFSP and, secondly, commitments to actions that bring partner country nearer to the EU in some priority areas.
The European Commission has recommended, that the developed plans of action also should be approved by relevant Association Councils and Cooperative Councils. Progress in the implementation of specific priorities should also be monitored by the established within the PCA or the SA authorities. The EC will report regularly on progress. In this case, the EC will take into account the results of the examinations provided by agencies operating under the SPS and SA, the information provided directly by the partner country. Together with the reports of the High Representative on political cooperation and CFSP, the EC for two years from the date of the action plan should be submitted to the interim report on progress made up to this time, and within three years after the approval of individual action plans – further control [276, with. 31].
The action plans set, how to act during the next three to five years. The next step might be to develop the European Neighborhood Agreements, which will replace the current generation bilateral agreements in case of implementation of priority action plans.
See also: Neighborhood Policy Instruments and Plans of Action
© National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 2011
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