Commission proposes new EU neighbourhood policy

The Commission proposed on 11 March a new
strategy for the enlarged EU’s relations with Russia and other
post-Soviet states, as well as the Southern
Mediterranean.

The Communication proposes that the EU should aim to work
in partnership to develop a zone of prosperity and a
friendly neighbourhood. It suggests that, in return for
concrete progress demonstrating shared values and effective
implementation of political, economic and institutional
reforms, all the neighbouring countries should be offered
the prospect of a stake in the EU’s internal market. This
should be accompanied by further integration and
liberalisation to promote the free movement of persons,
goods, services and capital.

This is to be achieved with the
following measures:

• Extension of the internal market and regulatory
  structures;
• Preferential trading relations and market
  opening;
• Perspectives for lawful migration and movement of
  persons;
• Intensified co-operation to prevent and combat common
  security threats;
• Greater EU political involvement in conflict
  prevention and crisis management;
• Greater efforts to promote human rights, further
  cultural co-operation and mutual understanding;
• Integration into transport, energy and
  telecommunications networks and the European Research
  Area;
• New instruments for investment promotion and
  protection;
• Support for integration into the global trading
  system;
• Enhanced assistance, better tailored to needs;
• New sources of finance.

The new neighbourhood policy is to
operate on the basis of country or regional strategic
Action Plans developed by the Commission in partnership
with the neighbouring countries. Action Plans would include
political and economic benchmarks by which to judge
progress. The Communication also opens the prospect of new
Neighbourhood Agreements, supplementing the existing
Partnership and Co-operation Agreements and Association
Agreements.

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