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STEFAN FULE: EU HAS A CLEAR GOAL OF FORGING DEEPER RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA
19:26 10.07.2013
Armenia, EU
Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood
Policy, had a public meeting with students, civil society media and
think tanks in Yerevan, Armenia. Commissioner Fule's remarks at the
meeting are provided below.
Chairman, Distinguished Guests,
I am delighted to have the opportunity to address you today. It
is always a pleasure to visit Armenia, and to see the roots of a
flourishing culture which has had such an impact across the globe.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the increasingly fast-paced
globalisation brings new opportunities; opportunities that go well
beyond countries simply seeking to survive, prosper, or furnish
citizens with jobs and ensure that their basic needs are met.
Globalisation reaches well beyond this: it creates conditions to unlock
and fulfil the creative potential inherent to each of us individually,
and aggregated in societies - civil and political.
To fulfil this unique potential we need a vision. And we need
instruments - essentially a roadmap - to reach it. But in this
increasingly interdependent world, even that may not be enough -
what we all need are partners who share and understand our vision, and
with whom we can agree on joint instruments, a joint roadmap. Partners
who are predictable, reliable and have shared rules of the game.
I believe we are at a significant moment in European Union-Armenia
relations. We are developing a partnership which is both wider and
deeper than it has been up to now. We are very close to finalising
our Association Agreement, including a Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Area. I am confident that this will bring concrete benefits
and new opportunities to all citizens.
In addition to offering an important trade partnership with the EU -
a market with 500 million consumers, the Agreement addresses many
concrete issues which affect everyday life. As a result, for example,
consumer protection, both in terms of product safety and value for
money, or road safety, or air quality are improved. What is more,
it will also strengthen the links between the people of Armenia and
the people of Europe.
For the European Union, partnerships are not only about economics,
business and regulatory frameworks. If we are serious in implementing
our commitments, as we should be, our political and trade relations
will become much stronger: through the regulatory convergence of our
partners with the European Union and the effective sharing of values.
Human rights, democracy and fundamental freedoms will be so-called
"essential elements" of our new Agreement, in other words the absolute
core that both sides must respect and promote.
The Association Agreement, and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade
Area which it includes, have taken a long time to negotiate. We have
worked with our Armenian partners to define a set of reforms which
will not only open up new opportunities in terms of market access,
mobility and co-operation, but which will allow Armenia to exploit
those opportunities with strengthened state institutions, labour
market, and infrastructure.
One of the reasons I am so keen that we complete our negotiations is
so that we can prepare the Agreement in its final form and share the
contents with citizens - I do believe that it will open a new chapter
not only in European Union-Armenia relations but also in Armenia's
own development.
And we are ready not only to provide financial support of our own,
but to encourage other international donors to support reform projects.
This can be a foundation for solid medium-term planning, focusing on
a common set of goals and under government leadership.
Let me add a couple of words on the broader context of our
partnership. As you know, EU-Armenia relations are developed through
the Eastern Partnership, that is to say the Eastern dimension of
the European Neighbourhood Policy. This policy framework is of great
value both to the European Union and also its partners because it is
allowing us to bring our relationships to a new level.
In addition to the political aspects of our dialogue with and between
our Eastern partners, there is also very practical sectoral cooperation
that is underway, in areas ranging from transport to education. In
September this year for instance, your beautiful country will host
an informal dialogue of Eastern Partnership ministers of education,
which Commissioner Vassiliou and I will attend. There we will jointly
seek to further enhance opportunities for cooperation between the EU
and our partners on higher education.
Ultimately, the Eastern Partnership allows our partners to join forces
with the European Union politically and economically. And jointly,
the European Union and its partners will be in a better position
to face the challenges and opportunities. Needless to say, I see a
strong case for participation in a multilateral format of this sort
for a country with no access to sea, whose borders with two of its
neighbours are currently closed.
Let me also use this opportunity to dispel a myth: The Eastern
Partnership, some say, uses a one-size-fits-all-approach leading
to uniform relationships in which the individuality of each of the
partners gets lost. However, exactly the opposite is true: While we do
use a common tool box, including mobility, approximation to European
Union standards and values, we work with partners to find tailor-made
solutions. Differentiation is a key concept in the Eastern Partnership,
and Armenia is no exception.
During my visit I have been discussing with government,
parliamentarians and civil society how to address some of the main
priorities in our current relations. Let me mention six of them.
Democracy: good progress has been made, but we should continue work to
implement all recommendations made by the OSCE after recent elections,
including changes to the legislative framework.
Human rights: we should ensure effective implementation of the National
Human Rights Strategy, which is a basic building block for the shared
values we want to encourage in our Association.
Fundamental freedoms: to give one example, legislation on broadcasting
needs to be modernised in compliance with the recommendations of the
OSCE and the Council of Europe.
Equality: where steps need to be taken harmonise legislation with
the European Union acquis in the areas of gender equality and
non-discrimination.
Intensifying the fight against corruption: this is a cross-cutting
issue with an impact on every aspect of national development.
Reforming governance and strengthening institutions: central among
these would be measures to reform the law enforcement and judicial
sectors, especially to increase public trust in the independence of
the judiciary, to improve the training of judges and to review the
code of criminal procedure.
I cannot end today without a word on the conflict. I know this is a
painful and difficult subject but it is one that the European Union
cannot hide from, either in Baku or here in Yerevan. I urge Armenia
to step up efforts with Azerbaijan to reach an agreement on the Madrid
Principles, in accordance with the commitments made by the Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan within the Minsk Group. We will continue
to provide assistance to encourage progress in conflict settlement,
and to support related peace-building activities.
Let me conclude my remarks by underlining that the European Union has
a clear goal of forging deeper relations with all Armenians, across
the political spectrum, from business, from civil society and among
the population. In other words: an inclusive partnership.
The EU model of development and integration operates on the basis of
"what you see is what you get" - in terms of setting clear goals in
the different areas of co-operation: what we expect from Armenia and
what the European Union should be offering in return. One of the key
strengths of this model is that it makes the progress of our relations
and of key reforms easier to visualise and easier to monitor, and
the result is an important boost for accountability. That means all
of you will have a role to play in making it a success. We are in
this together.
The vision I mentioned earlier is a vision of Armenia's modernisation
and the fullest use of all its potential; a vision which will
strengthen Armenia and its positive impact in the globalised world;
a vision that will through this unique partnership also strengthen
the EU. It is a win-win for all, the EU and Armenia but also its
direct and further removed neighbours, irrespective of their size.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/07/10/stefan-fule-eu-has-a-clear-goal-of-forging-deeper-relations-with-armenia/
19:26 10.07.2013
Armenia, EU
Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood
Policy, had a public meeting with students, civil society media and
think tanks in Yerevan, Armenia. Commissioner Fule's remarks at the
meeting are provided below.
Chairman, Distinguished Guests,
I am delighted to have the opportunity to address you today. It
is always a pleasure to visit Armenia, and to see the roots of a
flourishing culture which has had such an impact across the globe.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the increasingly fast-paced
globalisation brings new opportunities; opportunities that go well
beyond countries simply seeking to survive, prosper, or furnish
citizens with jobs and ensure that their basic needs are met.
Globalisation reaches well beyond this: it creates conditions to unlock
and fulfil the creative potential inherent to each of us individually,
and aggregated in societies - civil and political.
To fulfil this unique potential we need a vision. And we need
instruments - essentially a roadmap - to reach it. But in this
increasingly interdependent world, even that may not be enough -
what we all need are partners who share and understand our vision, and
with whom we can agree on joint instruments, a joint roadmap. Partners
who are predictable, reliable and have shared rules of the game.
I believe we are at a significant moment in European Union-Armenia
relations. We are developing a partnership which is both wider and
deeper than it has been up to now. We are very close to finalising
our Association Agreement, including a Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Area. I am confident that this will bring concrete benefits
and new opportunities to all citizens.
In addition to offering an important trade partnership with the EU -
a market with 500 million consumers, the Agreement addresses many
concrete issues which affect everyday life. As a result, for example,
consumer protection, both in terms of product safety and value for
money, or road safety, or air quality are improved. What is more,
it will also strengthen the links between the people of Armenia and
the people of Europe.
For the European Union, partnerships are not only about economics,
business and regulatory frameworks. If we are serious in implementing
our commitments, as we should be, our political and trade relations
will become much stronger: through the regulatory convergence of our
partners with the European Union and the effective sharing of values.
Human rights, democracy and fundamental freedoms will be so-called
"essential elements" of our new Agreement, in other words the absolute
core that both sides must respect and promote.
The Association Agreement, and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade
Area which it includes, have taken a long time to negotiate. We have
worked with our Armenian partners to define a set of reforms which
will not only open up new opportunities in terms of market access,
mobility and co-operation, but which will allow Armenia to exploit
those opportunities with strengthened state institutions, labour
market, and infrastructure.
One of the reasons I am so keen that we complete our negotiations is
so that we can prepare the Agreement in its final form and share the
contents with citizens - I do believe that it will open a new chapter
not only in European Union-Armenia relations but also in Armenia's
own development.
And we are ready not only to provide financial support of our own,
but to encourage other international donors to support reform projects.
This can be a foundation for solid medium-term planning, focusing on
a common set of goals and under government leadership.
Let me add a couple of words on the broader context of our
partnership. As you know, EU-Armenia relations are developed through
the Eastern Partnership, that is to say the Eastern dimension of
the European Neighbourhood Policy. This policy framework is of great
value both to the European Union and also its partners because it is
allowing us to bring our relationships to a new level.
In addition to the political aspects of our dialogue with and between
our Eastern partners, there is also very practical sectoral cooperation
that is underway, in areas ranging from transport to education. In
September this year for instance, your beautiful country will host
an informal dialogue of Eastern Partnership ministers of education,
which Commissioner Vassiliou and I will attend. There we will jointly
seek to further enhance opportunities for cooperation between the EU
and our partners on higher education.
Ultimately, the Eastern Partnership allows our partners to join forces
with the European Union politically and economically. And jointly,
the European Union and its partners will be in a better position
to face the challenges and opportunities. Needless to say, I see a
strong case for participation in a multilateral format of this sort
for a country with no access to sea, whose borders with two of its
neighbours are currently closed.
Let me also use this opportunity to dispel a myth: The Eastern
Partnership, some say, uses a one-size-fits-all-approach leading
to uniform relationships in which the individuality of each of the
partners gets lost. However, exactly the opposite is true: While we do
use a common tool box, including mobility, approximation to European
Union standards and values, we work with partners to find tailor-made
solutions. Differentiation is a key concept in the Eastern Partnership,
and Armenia is no exception.
During my visit I have been discussing with government,
parliamentarians and civil society how to address some of the main
priorities in our current relations. Let me mention six of them.
Democracy: good progress has been made, but we should continue work to
implement all recommendations made by the OSCE after recent elections,
including changes to the legislative framework.
Human rights: we should ensure effective implementation of the National
Human Rights Strategy, which is a basic building block for the shared
values we want to encourage in our Association.
Fundamental freedoms: to give one example, legislation on broadcasting
needs to be modernised in compliance with the recommendations of the
OSCE and the Council of Europe.
Equality: where steps need to be taken harmonise legislation with
the European Union acquis in the areas of gender equality and
non-discrimination.
Intensifying the fight against corruption: this is a cross-cutting
issue with an impact on every aspect of national development.
Reforming governance and strengthening institutions: central among
these would be measures to reform the law enforcement and judicial
sectors, especially to increase public trust in the independence of
the judiciary, to improve the training of judges and to review the
code of criminal procedure.
I cannot end today without a word on the conflict. I know this is a
painful and difficult subject but it is one that the European Union
cannot hide from, either in Baku or here in Yerevan. I urge Armenia
to step up efforts with Azerbaijan to reach an agreement on the Madrid
Principles, in accordance with the commitments made by the Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan within the Minsk Group. We will continue
to provide assistance to encourage progress in conflict settlement,
and to support related peace-building activities.
Let me conclude my remarks by underlining that the European Union has
a clear goal of forging deeper relations with all Armenians, across
the political spectrum, from business, from civil society and among
the population. In other words: an inclusive partnership.
The EU model of development and integration operates on the basis of
"what you see is what you get" - in terms of setting clear goals in
the different areas of co-operation: what we expect from Armenia and
what the European Union should be offering in return. One of the key
strengths of this model is that it makes the progress of our relations
and of key reforms easier to visualise and easier to monitor, and
the result is an important boost for accountability. That means all
of you will have a role to play in making it a success. We are in
this together.
The vision I mentioned earlier is a vision of Armenia's modernisation
and the fullest use of all its potential; a vision which will
strengthen Armenia and its positive impact in the globalised world;
a vision that will through this unique partnership also strengthen
the EU. It is a win-win for all, the EU and Armenia but also its
direct and further removed neighbours, irrespective of their size.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/07/10/stefan-fule-eu-has-a-clear-goal-of-forging-deeper-relations-with-armenia/