Olivia Mitchell
Question:18 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the report of the European Round Table of Industrialists on the EU’s neighbourhood policy. [18806/04]
View answerThursday, 24 June 2004
Questions (23)
Written answers
I am aware of the report entitled ERT's Vision of a Bigger Single Market. The European Round Table of Industrialists issued it in May. The report sets out the ERT's position on the European Neighbourhood Policy. I welcome the interest of the ERT in the EU's external relations policies, particularly with its new neighbours. Since its foundation, the ERT has been a strong advocate of the process of European integration, including the Single Market, the economic and monetary union and enlargement.
Following EU enlargement, the EU's new neighbours now include all the countries on the external land and sea border of the Union. They are: Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus in the east and Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria and Tunisia to the south. During the Irish Presidency the Commission issued a strategy document on the ENP that was extensively discussed with member states. The General Affairs and External Relations Council met on 14 and 15 June and the European Council met on 17 and 18 June. They issued conclusions on the future development of the policy based on the strategy paper. I am delighted that GAERC decided to include Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia within the new neighbourhood policy.
Many of the specific economic issues, including WTO and the Single Market, that were raised in the ERT report are matters of Commission competence. I welcome the many elements of the report on areas of Council competence. Chief among these is the importance attached in the report to the role of the EU in enhancing political and economic stability in the new neighbourhood countries; the relevance of the views of the member states; and the importance of public support for the neighbourhood policy. I particularly welcome the ERT's report as a timely contribution to public debate and to increasing business interest in making the policy a success.
I was pleased that GAERC, on 14 and 15 June, confirmed the EU's objective of sharing the benefits of an enlarged EU with its new neighbours to contribute to increased stability, security and prosperity. This ensures that the EU will offer the prospect of an increasingly close relationship involving a significant degree of economic integration and a deepening of political co-operation. It will also aim to prevent the emergence of new dividing lines between the enlarged EU and its neighbours.