Black Sea Corporations
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European Parliament Rue Wiertz 60 |
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Socialist Group in the |
29 May 2008
A Union for the Black Sea: steps towards multilateral partnership
At the March 2008 European summit government leaders agreed to take the idea of a Union for the Mediterranean forward. The initiative is intended to "open a new phase of cooperation in the Mediterranean". The initiative could give new impetus to Europe's multilateral cooperation with its southern neighbours.
The European Commission submitted its proposals for the 'Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean' on 21 May 2008 ahead of a summit in Paris on 13 July 2008. While the initiative is to be welcomed, given the many common challenges around the Mediterranean, proposals for strengthened cooperation around that other European sea have been much less ambitious. The challenges, scope and need for common policies, but also Europe's interests and the potential for conflict around the Black Sea are no less significant, however.
The PES Group therefore calls on the European Council and the European Commission to embrace to idea of a "Union for the Black Sea", which is to mirror Europe's ambition towards its Southern Neighbours. The main elements of our proposal are outlined in this paper.
More than synergy
Europe's regional cooperation in the Black Sea area is currently framed within the 'synergy initiative', which seeks to improve coordination between common elements of its bilateral ENP Partnership agreements and focuses on concrete measures and projects. The European Commission is committed to use the full potential of its synergy initiative and, among others, wants to use it as a platform to seek peaceful solutions to the frozen conflicts in the region. At the same time the Commission also admitted to have taken a cautious, even limited, approach. Possible future proposals for regional cooperation in the Black Sea basin are only to be taken after an evaluation of the first year of the Black Sea synergy initiative, which will be presented by the European Commission in June 2008.
Although the synergy initiative was welcomed as a step forward, the European Parliament, mainly at the initiative of the PES Group, has at several occasions asked the Commission to develop proposals to strengthen Europe's long term strategy towards the Black Sea region. The EU must commit itself no less to the Black Sea region than to the Mediterranean, which necessarily involves the engagement to play a more active role in resolving or defusing (potential) conflicts in the region. This requires a strategy that creates a common future for the region, in which the European Union is an important but equal partner.
We envisage a framework for multilateral cooperation that complements the existing forms of association, offers more opportunities than the Neighbourhood Policy to strengthen political and economic relations with the EU, and clearly goes beyond mere 'synergy' between existing policies and bilateral cooperation. A Union for the Black Sea should create genuine partnership, rather than mere cooperation, with a view to tackle common challenges and contribute to the resolution of longstanding problems in the region.
Turkey and Russia: key partners
The rationale for a Union for the Black sea is similar to that of the Union for the Mediterranean. However, there are important differences as well. In the first place, all non-EU countries involved are European, some of them having the explicit ambition to join the European Union one day. Secondly, their formal relations with the EU are diverse. Two EU member states border directly on the Black Sea. Turkey is a candidate member; others are ENP states, while Russia enjoys a strategic partnership with the EU. Thirdly, all non EU-members around the Black Sea belong to the post-Soviet area, except for Turkey. As a consequence they share a number of characteristics and challenges, while Russia continues to be a significant (f)actor. A major such actor is absent in the case of the Mediterranean.
We regard it as crucial that both Russia and Turkey are fully involved in the initiative. Too many questions in the region (conflict resolution, security arrangements, energy cooperation) can only be addressed with their full participation. Russia should therefore be invited to closely cooperate in the Union for the Black Sea from the very beginning, possibly as an associated member at first. This could lead to full membership, conditional upon its unequivocal support for the independence, sovereignty and integrity of our neighbours.
Turkey could play a special role in both Unions. The country is an important link between the EU and both regions. Its active participation would show to the wider European public the importance of that country to our interests. Although neither Union should have formal implications for its membership prospects, Turkey's accession process should naturally involve a greater contribution in the development of Europe's external policies. Active and constructive Turkish involvement would help its accession process.
Multilateral cooperation and Europe's enlargement strategy
Black Sea cooperation cannot be fully dissociated from the future of the European Union's enlargement strategy. A 'Union for the Black Sea should provide a framework for much closer relations with the EU than the current (strengthened) ENP for those European countries that have European ambitions. While not prejudging any possible future decisions on their membership perspectives, the proposed framework would help close the gap between their current status as ENP countries and possible future membership, thus providing the necessary incentives for their internal reform.
Policy areas and institutional structure
A Union for the Black Sea will need institutional underpinning, which needs to be relatively light and flexible. It should include a parliamentary dimension to explicitly aim to contribute to democratisation in the region. The initiative should make use as much as possible of existing structures, like the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.. The possibilities the Lisbon Treaty offers to create stronger links to the Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy and the policies currently overseen by the European Commission, should be fully used. A clear link should also be established with the forthcoming European External Action Service.
The priority areas for cooperation in the Union for the Black Sea should be commonly defined to underline the principle of equal partnership. Apart from the areas now covered in the synergy initiative (currently mainly environment, transportation and infrastructure, trade and investment) they should include energy cooperation, migration, regional security, conflict resolution and the fight against terrorism (including judicial cooperation). Finally, promoting mobility and exchange of students, teachers and researchers would provide a visible and tangible testimony of the construction of a common area with a common future.
Jan Marinus Wiersma Hannes Swoboda