Seminar: Union for the Mediterranean - implications for the Eastern dimension of the ENP

The aim of the seminar was to present and discuss the report: Union for the Mediterranean and Eastern Partnership Perspectives from New Member States written by Agnieszka K. Cianciara, College of Europe, Expert of the Institute of Public Affairs, Warsaw

Dr. Ahmed Driss criticized Barcelona Process. He mentioned that the southern Mediterranean members hoped to catch up with their European partners and resolve all their conflict. However, these expectations were distanced from reality. Dr. Ahmed Driss stressed that cooperation will be very difficult as the one of the major problem is lack of financial means. The goal is to establish a level playing field that would allow all partners to contribute equally towards  the elaboration of common projects. He summarized that ”both sides need, on both shores of the Mediterranean, a solid partnership capable of resolving all the disputes, as long as this assertion will exist there will be some hope to reach it”.

Andrzej Cieszkowski said that the Polish – Swedish initiative has been elaborated as the EU wide project. He emphasized the political importance of the joint declaration  naming all six Eastern European partners as “European” for the first time. In his point of view the ENP establishes the new structure for cooperation with Eastern European partners and it’s the project which advance economic integration and transfer European practices. This should be beneficial for both sides. Moreover, Andrzej Cieszkowski pointed out the steps the EU should take further: “EU should aim at quick implementation of the partnership and create a group of friends of ENP to have possibility to work with third countries by assisting the implementation of ENP and delivering financial assistance”. In conclusion, Andrzej Cieszkowski informed that Polish side already started to prepare so-called pilot projects in the scope of Eastern Partnership financed by the Polish budget.

Jan Tomasek recounted about the beginnings of Union for the Mediterranean and ENP. He certified that EU policy towards the south was under "the umbrella" of the Barcelona Process initiated by Jacques Chirac in 1995. In this period of time the eastern policy of the EU was limited mostly to maintaining the relations with Russia. Currently, Russia is not interested in the ENP as it perceives this policy as the EU integration tool. Jan Tomasek highlighted that ENP project since its beginning is based on the natural commitment to rule of law, good governance and sustanaible development. He affirmed that ENP was and still is one of the main goals in Czech presidency dossier.

Dr. Beata Wojna argued that Eastern Partnership and the Union for the Mediterranean are complementary not contradictory initiatives. Countries from the Eastern and Southern flank of the EU have interest in promoting democratic standards in the neighbouring countries.  Nicolas Sarkozy's initiative to develop closer relations between the EU and the countries of the Mediterranean region created a dynamic for similar undertakings in other regions, such as the Eastern Partnership. Dr. Beata Wojna pointed out that even though the advocates of the Union for the Mediterranean and the initiators of the Eastern Partnership compete for EU funds, more important conflict of interests exists between the countries calling for more developed neighbourhood policy. Moreover, the net payers (e.g. the Netherlands, Great Britain and Austria) were unwilling to spend more common funds for this purpose. 

Answering questions from the audience, Dr. Beata Wojna stressed that a tough approach towards EU's authoritarian neighbours, such as Belarus, proved to be ineffective. Inviting them to participate in the Eastern Partnership could thus be interpreted as an attempt to verify whether a softer strategy would be fruitful. In a similar vein, Andrzej Cieszkowski emphasized that the EU has to engage in cooperation with countries that do not meet all democratic standards. Starting the cooperation is a mean of promoting freedom and rule of law. Assessing Russia's attitude towards Eastern Partnership, he stressed that promoting stability and prosperity in the countries that lie between the EU and Russia   is in the interest of both.