Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-11-Speech-2-162"
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"en.20030311.8.2-162"2
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".
Mr President, I will be extremely brief, just making a few points regarding the document presented today on proximity policy. This is an extremely important document which clarifies our proposals for European and Mediterranean relations after enlargement. The enlargement process has, in fact, given the countries near to the Union great hopes, but it has also generated frustration and tension which can be summarised in a number of quite clear, quite comprehensible comments made by the countries of the East excluded from enlargement. They have reproached us for merely shifting the iron curtain eastwards, while the Mediterranean countries have reproached us for concentrating primarily on the East rather than on the Mediterranean countries.
Our neighbours have many hopes and I have always believed that they must not be disappointed, that we should create a proper policy for the Union’s relations with them too, both in their interest and in the interest of the Union. The communication approved by the Commission today on proximity policy meets this need, the need to create a reference framework within which we can develop ever closer relationships with our neighbours to the East and South, to create what I have described on several occasions, initially intuitively and then after increasing analysis and reflection, as the ring of friendly countries, the ring of friends which stretches from Russia to Morocco, a ring with which we can share everything except the institutions, in other words with which we can share programmes, market, rules and political dialogue but not Parliament, not the Council and not the Commission. In short, our aim is to develop a policy for these countries which are calling for a special relationship with the Union but for which the Union cannot foresee an enlargement strategy, at least in the short term.
Clearly, then, the western Balkan countries are not included in this ring: the prospect of their membership has already been agreed, although the date has not yet been set. The reference framework we have outlined in the communication complements rather than replaces the relationship the Union has with individual countries or groups of countries. Clearly, the intensity and, above all, the speed with which relations between the Union and the individual countries develop within this reference framework will depend on the abilities of each individual country. In other words, the principle of differentiation will apply in this case too. The objective is twofold. Firstly, to create, together with our partners, an area of prosperity and stability based on the principle of economic integration, strengthening of political bonds and cultural cooperation, and on this last – cultural cooperation – I insist. Secondly, to make the development of these preferential relations dependent upon the gradual adaptation of the countries to our rules and our set of values in both the economic and political domains. Thus, we want to develop with each individual country, on the basis of experience and our current contractual obligations, an agreed action plan which sets out the path we intend to pursue together.
These action plans will include objectives, timeframes, procedures and monitoring mechanisms applying equally to both parties. With a view to this, therefore, we will assess whether there is a need for us to create a specific contractual instrument – a proximity agreement – and an
financial instrument – a proximity instrument. In practical terms, we will work with our neighbours to create a single market, to promote the free movement of persons, goods and services, to strengthen cooperation in the fight against common threats, to strengthen our cooperation in conflict prevention and crisis management, to promote human rights, to step up dialogue between cultures and religions, to integrate transport, energy and telecommunications networks and to create a wider research area, in short to bring about ever greater integration based on the shared values and principles of tolerance, peace, freedom and solidarity – the very principles on which our Union is founded."@en1
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