Summary: "EU Western Balkans relations" - Speech by EU Commissioner Rehn (12 February 2007: Brussels)
Speech by Mr Olli Rehn, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, "EU Western Balkans relations", at the Western Balkans Forum, Brussels
Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me give you a balance sheet of EU/WB-relations in 5 minutes.
It is worth recalling the mood in 2005. This was the year when the referenda in France and the Netherlands caused a set-back to European integration. Still, 2005 was a very good your in the integration process of the Western Balkans. Each WB country took a major step forward towards the EU integration - thanks to each one's own achievements.
This proves that the EU does indeed respond to real progress, despite any internal problems we may have to deal with. Therefore, the EU's internal challenges should not be used as any excuse of not making progress in the candidate countries and potential candidates of the WB.
In 2006, under Austrian and Finnish EU Presidencies, several concrete steps were taken under the Thessaloniki agenda.
For example, the signing the CEFTA agreement is positive for the entire region. It will strengthen the impact of the overall reform efforts. And it will enable its signatories to follow the successful example of new EU Members. After all, SE Europe is the fastest growing region in Europe!
In July 2006 the Energy Community Treaty between the EU and South-eastern Europe entered into force.
In January the new IPA regulation entered into force. It will support the candidate and potential candidate countries in their efforts to pursue political, economic and institutional reforms.
The Stability Pact does valuable work. I support the ongoing process of transition into a more regionally owned cooperation process and look forward to hearing from the Croatian SEECP Chairmanship more on that.
Dear friends,
The European perspective for the Western Balkans can only successfully be implemented with active participation of citizens. We need to better communicate it, and make it more tangible to the citizens in the region.
That's why people must be able to travel and extend their horizons. I am fully aware of the importance that the peoples in the Western Balkans attach to the prospect of liberalising the visa regime. I have heard enough sad stories, from Serbian businessmen to Macedonian students.
We are currently taking measures to make it easier in particular for students, researchers and businessmen to acquire short-stay visas for the EU. The negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission agreements have been ongoing since last November. Substantial progress has been achieved, and we look forward to conclude the talks in March.
Let me also take this opportunity to call on EU Member States to review how their staff actually implements rules in their Embassies and Consulates around the WB. Are we doing our best to minimize frustration and to give good service? Or are rules maybe applied in an overly strict fashion, with little human understanding for the applicants' situation?
Dear friends,
Despite the progress I just listed in the area of regional cooperation, I still find that 2006 was more of an intermediate year in the integration process of the Western Balkans.
There were positive developments and progress, yes.
But it was also a year when the pace of reforms considerably slowed down in a couple of countries. It was a year when SAA negotiations ran into stalemate or were not concluded as smoothly as expected. And it was a year when boycotts of democratic institutions took place, even though boycotting parliament has no place in European democracy.
That's what has caused obstacles to the integration process of the Western Balkans - not the EU's internal challenges.
Let me therefore ask you: How will the year 2007 go down in history?
We all know that Kosovo's status and Serbia's future are crucial factors for the future of the region. We need to working with consistent determination for a sustainable settlement and a democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo, and ensure the stability of the region. Serbia is truly at a crossroads today. I want work with a new reform-oriented Serbian government, committed to making a new start in European integration.
But finally, each and every country can influence its own future. So I am interested to hear today how you see your countries in particular, and the region in general, develop in 2007. Will 2007 be a good year?
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