European Neighbourhood Policy
3. Partners
Algeria
EU-Algeria relations are based on the EU-Algeria Association Agreement which entered into force in September 2005. The relationship emphasizes close cooperation on democratic reform, economic modernization, and migration issues. Trade remains another important subject of relations, as does development cooperation.
Armenia
EU-Armenia relations are governed by the EU-Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in 1996 and entered into force in 1999. The main aim is to promote democratic principles, rule of law and human rights together with consolidation of a market economy and trade liberalisation.
Azerbaijan
EU-Azerbaijan relations are governed by the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in 1996 and entered into force in 1999. Azerbaijan is Europe’s largest trading partner in the Caucasus and holds a strategic location between the EU and Central Asia. Cooperation seeks, for example, to free up trade and promote investment.
Belarus
EU-Belarus relations have not yet been activated in the ENP area. The EU has offered Belarus the opportunity to take part in the ENP, provided that the country embarks on fundamental democratic and economic reforms to bring the country closer to European common values.
Egypt
EU-Egypt relations date back to 1966. The relationship emphasises close cooperation on democratic reform, economic modernization, social reform, and migration issues, as well as trade and financial cooperation.
Georgia
EU-Georgia relations are regulated by the EU-Georgia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement which entered into force in 1999. As was the case with Armenia and Azerbaijan, Georgia was included in the ENP in 2004 at its own request. Democracy development, strengthening of the rule of law and supporting market economy and regulatory reforms are emphasized.
Israel
EU-Israel relations are committed to establishing a partnership which provides for close political and mutually beneficial trade and investment relations together with economic, social, financial, civil scientific, technological and cultural cooperation. The Middle East peace process is a special area of mutual interest.
Jordan
EU-Jordan relations are based on the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement which entered into force in May 2002. The EU sees Jordan as a country that aims to act as a force of moderation and reform in a region of political turmoil. It is the EU’s objective to support Jordan in this endeavour.
Lebanon
EU-Lebanon relations are regulated by the EU-Lebanon Association Agreement which was adopted in 2002 and entered into force on 1 April, 2006. The main goal of cooperation is to promote the development of Lebanon as a democratic, politically open and economically strong neighbour of the EU. Due to the damages Lebanon suffered in the conflict of the summer of 2006, reconstruction and rehabilitation have lately been a main focus.
Libya
EU-Libya relations have not been activated in the ENP area. Libya and the EU are not linked by contractual relations. EU sanctions against Libya were lifted in 2004. Since then an informal dialogue has started with a view to strengthening EU-Libya relations. Cooperation has started in the fields of migrations and HIV-AIDS. It is expected that negotiations of an agreement may start in 2008.
Moldova
EU-Moldova relations are based on the EU-Moldova Partnership and Cooperation Agreement which entered into force in 1998. EU’s key priority is to support efforts to achieve a lasting resolution to the Transnistria problem. Other priorities include strengthening of institutions and press freedom, improving the business climate, border management and migration management and cooperating in the fight against trafficking, organised crime and money laundering.
Morocco
EU-Morocco relations are governed by the EU-Morocco Association Agreement that entered into force in 2000. The ENP is the concrete reply to the King of Morocco’s request in 2001 to have an ”advanced status” for his country in its relations with the EU. The relationship emphasizes close cooperation on democratic reform, economic modernization, and migration issues.
Palestinian Authority
EU-Palestinian Authority relations have as their legal basis the Interim Association Agreement on Trade and Cooperation, signed in 1997. The Palestinian Authority is a partner in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and was one of the first partners to conclude and ENP Action Plan with the Union. The EU helps the Palestinian Authority in the building up of institutions of a future democratic, independent and viable Palestinian state living side by side with Israel and its neighbours. Political developments in the occupied Palestinian Territories, notably the elections victory of Hamas in 2006, have caused periodic interruptions in EU’s ENP actions.
Syria
EU-Syria relations do not yet include an EU-Syria Association Agreement and thus Syria cannot benefit from the ENP. Technical negotiations on the agreement were concluded in October 2004. However, the EU has deemed that political circumstances were so far not right for its signature and ratification. The main goal of current cooperation is for the EU to support Syria’s domestic reform process. Syria is signatory of the 1995 Barcelona Declaration.
Tunisia
EU-Tunisia relations are based on the EU-Tunisia Association Agreement which entered into force in 1998. The relationship emphasizes close cooperation on democratic reform, economic modernization, and migration issues together with cooperation on trade and development.
Ukraine
EU-Ukraine relations are governed by the 1998 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Negotiations on a new enhanced agreement with Ukraine started in Brussels in March 2007. Negotiations on the Free Trade Area element of the agreement will start once Ukraine has finalised its WTO accession process. The EU is seeking an increasingly close relationship with Ukraine, going beyond cooperation, to gradual economic integration and a deepening of political cooperation. Of the ENP countries, Ukraine has made most clear its ambition of joining the EU as a member state in the future.