De westelijke Balkan op weg naar de EU - Rehn presenteert strategie voor samenwerking (en)

vrijdag 27 januari 2006, 15:03

The Commission today proposed to foster trade, economic development, movement of persons, education and research, regional co-operation and civil society dialogue in the Western Balkans, as part of the EU's strategy to integrate the people of the region into the European mainstream.

The Communication on the Western Balkans sets out concrete measures to reinforce the EU's policy and instruments, and to help the countries to realise their European perspective. It will help prepare the meeting of EU and Western Balkans Foreign Ministers planned by the Austrian Presidency on 10-11 March in Salzburg.

Commissioner Olli Rehn said today: "While the Kosovo status process is moving ahead, we need to encourage the people of the Western Balkans to look forward to their European future, not back to the nationalism of the past. The best way to do that is to focus on practical measures which will integrate their economies and societies into the European mainstream."

Promoting stability, security and prosperity in the Western Balkans is a high priority for the EU. The region will face major challenges in the coming months, as the Kosovo[1] status process moves ahead and fundamental constitutional issues come to the fore in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro. At such a time, it is important to strengthen the region's European perspective. The prospect of eventual EU membership provides a powerful incentive for political and economic reform in the region, and encourages reconciliation among its peoples.

Stabilisation and Association Agreements, already in place with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Croatia, are currently being negotiated with Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and such negotiations are nearing conclusion with Albania. The Autonomous Trade Measures, ensuring free access to the EU market for practically all products from the region, were recently extended to 2010.

To promote trade, investment and economic and social development:

  • The Commission supports the rapid conclusion of a regional Free Trade Agreement between the countries of the region.
  • A zone of diagonal cumulation of origin will be established between the EU and the countries of region that have concluded free trade agreements with the EU (currently Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), as a first step before the inclusion of the region in the Pan-Euro-Med System.
  • The process under the European Charter for Small Enterprises will be prolonged for the Western Balkans for another three years, and the Commission plans to contribute approximately €60m in 2006 to the recently established European Fund for South-East Europe.
  • The objectives of the Lisbon Agenda will be reflected in the EU's policies for the region.

The Commission's Communication also proposes measures to help integrate Western Balkan societies progressively into the European mainstream:

  • The Commission will put forward initiatives for visa facilitation for the Western Balkans in 2006. Measures facilitating travel by researchers and students, as well as local border traffic along EU borders with the Western Balkan countries, are about to be implemented.
  • Scholarships provided to undergraduate and graduate students and researchers from the region through a number of EU-financed programmes and institutions will further increase. Western Balkan citizens and institutions should take advantage of new opportunities arising in 2007 with the renewal of many of these programmes, notably in the areas of education and research.
  • A new regional School for Higher Education in Public Administration will start its training activity in 2006.
  • The countries of the Western Balkans are encouraged to acquire greater ownership of regional cooperation. There should be a progressive transfer of the responsibilities of the Stability Pact to bodies based in the region.
  • The civil society dialogue - already started with the candidate countries in negotiations - will be extended to the whole of the Western Balkans.
  • The EU should ensure that its policy priorities for the Western Balkans are matched with commensurate financial support.

Member States are invited to endorse the proposed measures and to ensure follow-up to achieve the EU's objectives in the region.
For further information:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/index_en.html

[1] Governed under UN Security Council Resolution 1244

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