European Neighbourhood Policy: a tool for promoting democracy

Parliament adopted a report calling for the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) to be used as a strong tool for consolidating democracy and the rule of law in the EU’s neighbouring countries and promoting democratisation in non-democratic countries such as Belarus. The European Commission should give vigorous support to democratic forces in neighbouring countries, in particular by providing access to independent media and information.

In a report by Charles TANNOCK (EPP-ED, UK) MEPs call for clear priorities and evaluation criteria. If countries violate international and European standards of respect for human rights and democracy, the EU should be ready to restrict or suspend aid and even to cancel agreements, says the report.

MEPs welcome the idea of providing European neighbourhood agreements at the end of the ENP process, adding that such agreements can encourage step-by-step progress towards full access to the internal market, participation in the European security and defence policy and close cooperation in the field of justice and home affairs. However, they say the ENP should not only strengthen ties between the EU and the neighbouring countries but also promote regional integration between these countries.

Parliament believes the EU should leave its door open to membership for Ukraine and Moldova. It also proposes a European stability pact for the Southern Caucasus, modelled on the EU stability pact for South-eastern Europe.

Other points mentioned in the report are an improvement in energy network links as benefiting both the EU and its partner countries; an increase in trade and tourism, which will mean enhancing transport networks and will probably improve links between the partner countries; cooperation in environmental matters, such as water management, waste management, air pollution and combating desertification; and cooperation on legal and illegal immigration.

The House emphasises that the Nice Treaty is not an acceptable basis for further decisions on the accession of any more new Member States and therefore insists that the necessary reforms be brought into force within the framework of the constitutional process.

MEPs expresses their deep concern about the conviction of Ayman Nour, a prominent liberal opposition leader, who has been recently sentenced to five years’ hard labour by an Egyptian court for supposedly forging signatures on petitions used to create his political party; regards this as a seriously retrograde step and calls on the Egyptian authorities to make every effort to ensure that this case is correctly dealt with.

Parliament welcomes the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon, and the holding of legislative elections in Lebanon in June; calls for redoubled efforts to achieve a sovereign and democratic state of Lebanon in which all political and religious groups and communities take part in political and social life and human rights are fully respected, and calls for the full implementation of UNSCR 1559 including the disarmament of Hezbollah.

The European Neighbourhood Policy covers Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Moldova, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine and the Palestinian Authority.