1. “Managing Modern National Statistical Systems in Democratic Societies”
Tacis High Level-Seminar Vienna, August 31 – September 2, 2005
Session 7:
Overview of the Commission Plans for Co-operation in General and with CIS-countries in Particular
Doc. TACIS
Eurostat
Pieter Everaers

2. The European Neighbourhood Policy an overview of the new policy and an attempt to assess its potential impact on Eurostat
Pieter Everaers
Director External Relations Statistics
Eurostat

3. Enlargement has changed the European political geography
5th Enlargement of the EU (2004/2007) -> EU-27
480 Mio citizens – (new borders)
New opportunities – new challenges
The enlarged EU needs to intensify relations with its neighbours East & South

4. The EU and its partners

5. What is the ENP?
A specific policy for the neighbours of the enlarged EU, defined by geographical proximity
…but not countries with an accession perspective (Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia, the other Western Balkan countries… )
Based also on the Draft Constitutional Treaty (Part I, Title VIII – “The Union and its neighbours”)

6. Financial instruments
Presently there is a complex structure of existing aid programs
They will be replaced by six instruments in 2007
New ones are:
Pre-Accession Assistance (replacing PHARE, ISPA, SAPARD, CARDS etc.)
European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) (replacing MEDA, Tacis, EIDHR, etc.)
Development Cooperation and Economic Cooperation instrument
An instrument for stability
Remaining instruments are:
Humanitarian Aid instrument
Macro Financial Assistance

7. ENPI
All partners in the ENP, as well as Russia, will be eligible for support
It will focus in particular on supporting the implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plans
The ENPI will provide support through:
Country programmes
Multi-country programmes
Thematic programmes
Cross border co-operation programmes
In addition, there can be trans-regional programmes involving Member States.

8. ENPI will support Sustainable development Fighting poverty
Measures leading to progressive participation in the EU’s internal market
Legislative approximation
Regulatory convergence
Institution building

9. ENPI requires
assistance shall complement national measures to promote synergy and enhance impact;
assistance shall be established in partnership between the Commission and the beneficiaries
programming of assistance should be carried out involving, as appropriate, central, regional and local authorities, civil society, economic and social partners;
assistance shall be co-financed in order to promote ownership and maximise its leverage effect.

10. Financial support 2000-2006: MEDA €5,3bn, TACIS €3,1bn
: Neighbourhood Programmes (cross border)
EIB lending (€2bn Med, €500mio Eastern Europe)
:   European Neighbourhood & Partnership Instrument (ENPI) - policy-driven instrument covering (all) assistance to partners with simplified approach for cross-border co-operation, €14,9bn

11. Designing the ENP
2002/3:
The strategy beyond EU enlargement with concepts like The “Wider Europe”, “new neighbourhood”, “ring of friends” thinking start to emerge –> ENP
2003/4:
Various Communications of the European Commission and Conclusions of the (European) Council establish the policy
2004:
The Commission presented a Strategy Paper, 7 Country Reports were created, consultations on 7 ENP Action Plans (Ukraine, Moldova, Jordan, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Tunisia, Morocco) took place
2005:
5 Country Reports (Egypt, Lebanon, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan), Consultations on Action Plans. Implementation of the AP’s to start

12. Content of the policy
A joint agenda to manage our common space (EU – neighbourhood)
Promote good governance and reform
Progressive economic integration; deepening political co-operation
Based on specific values and common interests
Assistance re-oriented to support reforms

13. Common values & interests
Democracy, human rights, rule of law; market economy; sustainable development
Stability, security, prosperity; joint response to common challenges (border management, prosperity gaps, crime, environment, health, terrorism, etc.)

14. Building on current framework
ENP builds on legal and institutional accords (Association Agreements, Partnership and Co- operation Agreements, Barcelona Process, etc.)
Established instruments (Association and Co-operation Councils, Committees, sub-Committees) provide mechanisms for promoting and monitoring implementation of Action Plans

15. Action plans – main areas
Political Dialogue and reform
Economic and social cooperation and development
Trade related issues, market and regulatory reform
Co-operation in Justice and Home Affairs
Transport, energy, information society, environment, research and development
People-to-people contacts, civil society, education, public health

16. Action Plans – main statistical actions
For all countries:
Elaborate a short and medium term strategy for harmonisation with European standards in the relevant statistical areas;
Ensure that the statistical legislation is based on UN fundamental principles;
For the individual countries specific actions to overcome weaknesses identified, e.g :
Improve the business register;
Ensure that foreign trade statistics are compatible with EU standards.

17. ENP objectives in statistics
Strengthen the statistical system of partner countries, helping them to respect the UN Fundamental Principles;
Strengthen the national standing of NSI’s, including their co-ordination role, to create and maintain internal demand for statistics;
Promote international comparability of the statistics produced;
Sustainable production of timely, reliable, objective and comparable statistics for relevant Community policy areas (economic and social progress and reforms, trade, migration, poverty, food security…);

18. ENP objectives (cont.)
Promote a harmonisation to European standards in relevant statistical areas and to appropriate international standards in other;
Create and follow up a strategy for strengthening the statistical system;
Collect and disseminate data from the countries to policy makers and the great public, both abroad and at home;

19. Main statistical activities foreseen
First diagnosis of the present situation of the statistical systems in the ENP countries
Global assessments of the statistical systems, followed by a continuous follow-up of the progress;
Assistance to developing a national strategy;
Identification of priority areas for harmonisation;
Gradual introduction of a progress monitoring tool;
Data exchange should gradually grow

20. Conclusions
ENP is an ambitious offer for a new political framework for EU relations with neighbouring states
ENP is of mutual, long-term interest
ENP is an EU priority, also in the next Financial Perspective
EU offers considerable financial and technical assistance
Statistics is an important instrument in the process and this will have major impact on Eurostat activities