Transcript ppt - uni-marburg.de

Emerging Economies in SouthEastern Europe
Relationship with the EU Stabilization and Association Process
(SAP)
Prof. Vito Bobek
University of Maribor, Slovenia
Faculty of Economics and Business
[email protected]
INTRODUCTION
1. The role of the EU in the Western Balkans has
been strengthening since the end of the wars in
the region at the end of 1990s.
2. The major framework for EU’s relations with the
Western Balkans is the Process of Stabilisation
and Association.
3. The EU has granted membership perspective to
Western Balkans countries.
4. Stabilisation of the region and its integration with
the EU is one of the priorities of Slovenian
activities within the EU.
5. Challenges in the future?
STRONG ROLE OF THE EU IN THE
REGION
 The first initiative with a strong EU support: Stability Pact in
1999
 EU Missions of civil crisis management and first EU military
missions launched in the area of Western Balkans – Western
Balkans as learning ground for Common Foreign, Security
and Defence Policy
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EU Police Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina: first mission under
European Security and Defence Policy (launched in January
2003)
Concordia: first EU military operation in FYROM (March to
December 2003)
Proxima: EU police mission to FYROM (launched in December
2003)
Althea: EU military operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina
(launched in July 2004)
Process of Stabilisation and Association.
STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION
PROCESS (I)
 After wars in republics of ex-Yugoslavia had ended,
the EU decided to launch a long term approach to
the region of Western Balkans in 1999 by introducing
Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP)
 Ideas underpinning the SAP:
i) close relation with the EU and a prospect of
eventual accession to the EU can encourage
Western Balkan countries in their political,
economic and social reforms;
ii) a need for enhancing regional co-operation.
STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION
PROCESS (II)
 Main elements of the Stabilisation and
Association Process:
1.Preparation for Stabilisation and
Association Agreements (SAA)
 EU proposes signing a Stabilisation and Association
Agreement when a country is prepared for it.
2.Negotiating, signing and
implementing SAA
 SAA represents a legal framework for co-operation
between WB countries and the EU,
 Agreement for each country is tailored to its specific
needs and circumstances.
STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION
PROCESS (III)
 Contents of SAA (e.g. SAA with Croatia)
 political dialogue (respect of fundamental
democratic principles);
 regional co-operation (foster good
neighbourly relations);
 the four freedoms, with the creation of a
free trade area by 2007 for industrial
products and most agricultural products;
 approximation of the legislation of
Croatia to the EU acquis;
 wide-ranging co-operation in all areas of
EU policies, including in the area of
justice, freedom and security;
 trade provisions of the SAA
asymmetrically in favour of Croatia.
STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION
PROCESS (IV)
 Regional Co-operation
 Besides development of close bilateral relations with each
partner country SAP has a strong regional component.
 Fulfilling the criterion of regional co-operation is a
condition for progressing in the SAP.
 EU’s policy objectives:
i) close contractual relations between countries in the
region;
ii) Free trade agreements
iii) Gradual integration of the region into European
infrastructure networks (e.g. transport, energy etc)
iv) regional co-operation against common threats (e.g.
organised crimes, illegal immigration etc).
STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION
PROCESS (V)
 Financial Assistance to Western Balkans
countries – CARDS
 Supports the objectives and mechanism of SAP – financial
help to the region in order to meet obligations from SAA
 For the period 2000-2006 the EU has provided € 5.4 billion
to achieve the following objectives:
i) reconstruction, democratic stabilisation, reconciliation,
return of refugees;
ii) Institutional and legislative development;
iii) Sustainable economic and social development;
iv) Promote regional co-operation.
Multi-Annual Indicative Financial Framework:
Breakdown of the Instrument for Pre-Accession
Assistance Envelope For 2007-2010 into allocations by
country and component (1)
Multi-Annual Indicative Financial Framework:
Breakdown of the Instrument for Pre-Accession
Assistance Envelope For 2007-2010 into allocations by
country and component (2)
Multi-Annual Indicative Financial Framework:
Breakdown of the Instrument for Pre-Accession
Assistance Envelope For 2007-2010 into allocations by
country and component (3)
Multi-Annual Indicative Financial Framework:
Breakdown of the Instrument for Pre-Accession
Assistance Envelope For 2007-2010 into allocations by
country and component (4)
Multi-Annual Indicative Financial Framework:
Breakdown of the Instrument for Pre-Accession
Assistance Envelope For 2007-2010 into allocations by
country and component (5)
STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION
PROCESS(VI)
 State of play
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FYRoM: SAA signed in 2001, entered into force in April 2005;
Croatia: SAA signed in 2001, entered into force in February
2005
Albania: SAA signed on 12 June 2006, expected to be ratified
in 2 years.
Montenegro: SAA negotiations with Montenegro are launched
- First Official Round and First technical Round on 26
September 2006. 1 December 2006: technical part of SAA
negotiations is completed. SAA signed in October 2007.
Serbia: Launching the negotiations for SAA in October 2005.
Negotiations with Serbia and Montenegro called off on 3 May
2006 as the country did not fulfil its commitment to fully cooperate with the ICTY. SAA- signed in january 2008.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: negotiations for conclusion of SAA
opened in November 2005. 2007: Technical talks for a SAA are
finalised, but the initialling and signature of the Agreement
depend on political conditions.
MEMBERSHIP PERSPECTIVE FOR
WESTERN BALKANS
 The EU granted membership perspective to the Western
Balkans (European Council in Feira (PT) in 2000, reaffirmed
several times).
 Significance of membership perspective:
i) It has proved to be a very successful and effective external policy
tool of the EU (lessons learned from 2004 enlargement).
ii) Combined with objectives of the SAP it is a crucial motivator for
stabilisation, democratisation of the Western Balkans and for
further reforms.
iii) Countries’ commitments to the EU defined in SAAs; progress
towards the EU depends on how quickly and effectively countries
deliver their commitments – principle of conditionality.
 Croatia and FYROM given candidate status in June 2004 and
December 2005 respectively.
 Croatia started accession negotiations in October 2005.
WESTERN BALKANS – A PRIORITY FOR
SLOVENIA (I)
 In its strategic documents on Slovenian activities in
the EU the government has declared that progress of
the Western Balkans towards the EU is a Slovenian
priority. (Slovenia's Priorities for the Work in the
Council of EU for 2004, 2005 and 2006)
 Slovenia supports membership perspective of the
Western Balkans countries. However, the speed of
their progress on the way to the EU depends on how
successful they are in meeting commitments to the
EU.
WESTERN BALKANS – A PRIORITY FOR
SLOVENIA (II)
 Why a stable, democratic and economically
prosperous Balkan region is in Slovenia’s vital
interest?
i) Geographic proximity;
ii) Clearly defined rules and provisions on the four freedoms in
SAP facilitate economic co-operation with the region;
iii) SAP is a basis for co-operation in the area of justice and
home affairs: co-operation in areas like illegal immigration;
drug and human trafficking; organised crime; fights against
terrorism; cross-border co-operation etc. Important in the
light of Slovenia’s accession to the Schengen area.
WESTERN BALKANS – A PRIORITY FOR
SLOVENIA (III)
 Examples of co-operation with Western
Balkans:
i) Slovenia supports progress of the Western Balkans
to the EU through projects of EU assistance for
institution building, i.e. twinning projects. Since
2002 Slovenia has participated in 13 CARDS
twinning projects in Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia
and Serbia and Montenegro either as a junior
partner or as a leading partner,
ii) Slovenian co-operation with the Western Balkans
countries in the framework of the Stability Pact
initiative,
iii) Slovenia – a desired partner in the region.
FUTURE CHALLENGES IN EU-WB
RELATIONS (I)
Challenges for the Western Balkans:
 Successfully meet the EU commitments and make progress
in the SAP (regional co-operation, cooperation with the
ICTY, legal approximation etc.)
 Post-conflict reconciliation process, finding a long-term
solution to minority questions
 Achieve a sustained economic and social development
 Question of future status of Kosovo?
 Possible constitutional reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
 Maintain sufficient support of domestic public for reforms
and progress in the SAP.
FUTURE CHALLENGES IN EU-WB
RELATIONS (II)
Challenges for the EU:
 To respond successfully to the challenges
facing the Western Balkans and help the
region to make further progress.
 Absorption capacity of the EU after
2004/2007 enlargement? Enlargement
fatigue?
 Political support for further EU enlargement
has been vanishing in some Member States.
 Negative referendums on the Constitutional
Treaty – no legal basis for further
enlargement.
 Public concerns for further enlargement in
the EU.
FUTURE CHALLENGES IN EU-WB
RELATIONS (III)
Challenges facing the EU:
 Commission’s enlargement strategy published
in November 2005 attempts to respond to these
challenges by suggesting:
i) Consolidating EU’s commitments to enlargement: EU
should not abandon enlargement as a successful
external policy tool,
ii) Applying fair and rigorous conditionality: EU must
demand fulfilment of its criteria, but should reward
progress fairly and duly,
iii) Communicating enlargement: to better communicate
objectives and challenges of enlargement.
FUTURE CHALLENGES IN EU-WB
RELATIONS (IV)
 Challenges facing the EU:
 Commission’s communication: The
Western Balkans on the road to the EU:
consolidating stability and raising
prosperity (January 2006)
i) Reaffirming that the Western Balkans remains
high on the EU agenda
ii) A basis for further discussion of enlargement
issues under the Austrian EU presidency,
foreseen for informal EU foreign ministers
meeting in Salzburg in March 2006.