Is cúis áthais dom a bheith anseo roimh an choiste.
I am very happy to have the opportunity of meeting the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs to discuss the motion proposed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs that Dáil Éireann approve two agreements between the European Union and its member states with, first, Albania and, second, Tajikistan, two countries with which in the past Ireland's contacts have been very limited. Our membership of the European Union has provided us with opportunities to open up or develop contacts with many countries, including in this instance Albania and Tajikistan.
Third country agreements such as these represent an invaluable tool in the promotion of the core values of the European Union, in driving internal reform in partner countries, enhancing prosperity and stability and strengthening democracy and the rule of law. Adoption of these agreements is in the best interests of both countries involved, of Ireland and of the European Union as a whole. Both agreements involve what is called "mixed competence", that is to say they deal with a range of issues, some of which fall within the exclusive competence of the European Community — economic and trade relations being the primary example — and some of which remain within the competence of the individual member states of the European Union. Prime examples of the latter are strictly political issues and justice and home affairs issues.
Where EU agreements with third countries involving mixed competence arise, they are negotiated on behalf of the European Community and the member states and the third country concerned. They are then signed on behalf of the European Community and the member states and finally, before they can formally enter into forcce, they are ratified on behalf of all the parties, including the individual EU member states. As the process of ratification in the member states can sometimes take a considerable time, arrangements are regularly made for the European Community to enter into an interim agreement with the third country concerned. An interim agreement would cover only those areas that fall within the exclusive competence of the European Community — principally economic and trade matters — and which can be applied immediately, pending formal ratification of the main agreements. Interim agreements are in force with both Albania and Tajikistan. I am pleased that Ireland, with the approval of Dáil Éireann, has a good record of ratifying such agreements without undue delay.
Let me deal first with Albania. The motion Dáil Éireann has been asked to approve is as follows:
That Dáil Éireann approves the terms of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Albania, of the other part, signed at Luxembourg on 12th June, 2006, which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 3rd November, 2006;
In June 1999 the General Affairs Council of the European Union agreed to establish a stabilisation and association process for south-east Europe, the aim of which is to strengthen political and economic stability in the region. The process is an integral part of the EU's policy towards the western Balkans. It provides for the negotiation of stabilisation and association agreements for the countries concerned — Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, FYROM, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania, in return for compliance with certain conditions. The main aim of the stabilisation and association agreements is to bring the countries involved closer to EU standards and principles.
In June 2003 the Thessalonikí EU-western Balkans summit confirmed the EU's support for the European perspective of the western Balkan countries. At Thessalonikí the EU further expressed its readiness to assist these countries in their preparation for future integration into European structures and ultimately prospective membership of the European Union.
The stabilisation and association agreements cover a wide range of issues, focusing on trade liberalisation in goods and other trade-related issues, e.g. services, government procurement, intellectual property protection and competition issues; political dialogue; legal approximation; regional co-operation; and other areas such as industry, environment and energy. With regard to trade in goods, the aim of the agreements is to progressively establish a free trade area between the EU and the countries of the region on the basis of reciprocity but in an asymmetric manner.
The European Union has already largely liberalised its import trade with the countries of the western Balkans. In 2000 the EU granted autonomous trade measures to beneficiary countries and territories of the region. As the different agreements are being negotiated, implemented and developed, the appropriate changes and amendments to the scheme of autonomous preferences are being made.
Stabilisation and association agreements are already in force between the EU and Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, FYROM. The agreement with Albania is now in the process of being ratified by all the parties to it. Negotiations on similar agreements are well under way with Bosnia and Herzegovina and with Montenegro. Negotiations on an agreement with Serbia are at present suspended. The agreements include an evolutionary clause, which recalls the EU's readiness to integrate to the fullest possible extent the countries concerned into the political and economic mainstream of Europe.
The agreement also recognises their status as potential candidates for EU membership on the basis of the Treaty on the European Union and the fulfilment of the criteria defined by the European Council in June 1993, subject to the successful implementation of the respective agreements, notably regarding regional co-operation.
Croatia has been recognised as a candidate for membership of the EU and negotiations have already begun. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has also been granted candidate status, but no date for the beginning of accession negotiations has yet been agreed. The EU's policy to support a European perspective for each of the countries of the western Balkans has been a major factor in bringing stability to the region, as it continues its recovery from the wars of the 1990s. Ireland remains committed to this policy as a means of giving hope to the people of the region for a better future for themselves and their children.
Albanian membership of the EU is not something that will become a feasible prospect for quite a number of years. Nonetheless, the agreement we are now discussing will, if successfully implemented and applied by Albania, greatly assist that country to develop its European perspective. It will also confer benefits on the people of Albania and on the Albanian economy.
Regarding Tajikistan, the motion Dáil Éireann has been asked to approve is as follows:
That Dáil Éireann approves the terms of the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement establishing a Partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Tajikistan, of the other part, signed at Luxembourg on 11th October 2004, which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 17th January, 2006.
The purpose of this agreement is to allow the European Union to update its relations with the Republic of Tajikistan. It is the final such partnership and co-operation agreement between the EU and the Central Asian republics to be negotiated and will replace the 1989 trade and co-operation agreement, TCA, between the EU and the former Soviet Union. The trade and co-operation agreement was endorsed by Tajikistan by exchange of letter in 1994, but lay dormant until 2001 due to internal difficulties in that country. Following the events of 11 September 2001, the TCA was revived at the initiative of the European Commission. Since December 2001 six joint committee meetings dealing with trade, economic and co-operation issues have been held within the framework of the TCA.
The strategy paper for Central Asia, adopted by the European Commission in 2002, provides the strategic framework for the European Union's relations with the countries of Central Asia, including Tajikistan, and sets out the EU's co-operation objectives with each. A new Central Asia strategy for the period 2007-13 is currently under discussion and is likely to be adopted by the European Council in June next. Ratification of the partnership and co-operation agreement should be seen in this context.
While the specific challenges facing each country in the region vary, there are a number of common development problems. These include slow democratic transition, poor records of implementing human rights obligations, poor business and investment climates and widening income disparities and poverty. Tajikistan remains the poorest of the former Soviet republics, despite a period of economic recovery in recent years. It is the most significant per capita beneficiary of European Community assistance in Central Asia, having received funding through a variety of instruments such the food security programme, human rights and democracy, the European initiative for democracy and human rights and the TACIS programme for Central Asia. As of this year, EU assistance will be provided through the development co-operation and economic co-operation instrument. The PCA is designed to address the challenges facing Tajikistan and to promote the profile and interests of the European Union in that country. It is intended to reinforce stability in Tajikistan and the wider region and to consolidate democracy. It promotes economic growth and sustainability through co-operation in a broad range of fields, including industrial co-operation, investment, supply of services, science and technology, education and training, consumer protection, enterprise restructuring and regional development.
Co-operation in relation to energy is provided for, governed by the principles of the market economy and the European energy charter.
