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The European Commission is recommending a significant intensification
of relations with Caucasus countries
The European Commission is
recommending a significant intensification of relations with Caucasus countries
through the development of an Action Plan under the European Neighbourhood Policy
(ENP). This recommendation is based on the Commission's Country Reports on Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia, which provides a comprehensive overview of the political
and economic situation and the state of bilateral relations with the European
Union. Country reports cover progress in implementation of bilateral agreements
and related reforms. They reflect the political, economic, social and institutional
situation in the countries and focus on the priority areas of the European Neighbourhood
Policy, providing a starting point for developing joint Action Plans.
To download Country Reports
click below:
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Georgia
The Commission recommended
key objectives for all three Caucasus countries in developing their Action Plans.
Key objectives for the Action Plan of Armenia should include:
- Strengthening the rule
of law, of democratic structures and pluralism (e.g. the reform of electoral
legislation in line with Council of Europe (CoE) and Organisation for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) recommendations and the holding of democratic
elections; constitutional reform taking into account CoE recommendations;
reform of local self-government);
- Strengthening respect
for human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially regarding freedom of
expression and freedom of assembly;
- Improvements in the business
climate as well as public sector modernisation
- Further efforts to tackle
corruption and fraud
- Reform of tax and customs
administrations and legislation
- Progress in poverty reduction
- Progress on sustainable
development and environmental protection
- The decommissioning of
the Medzamor Nuclear Power Plant
- Progress towards conflict
resolution and enhanced regional cooperation
- Prudent macroeconomic
policies need to be maintained to support effective implementation of an Action
Plan.
Key objectives for an Action
Plan of Azerbaijan should include:
- Strengthening the rule
of law, democratic structures and pluralism (improved institutional division
of powers, reform of local self government) and strengthening of electoral
legislation and processes so as to enhance democratic election standards
- Implementation of effective
reform in field of rule of law (judiciary, law enforcement agencies)
- Enhanced protection of
human rights and of freedom and independence of the media
- Increased efforts towards
a balanced development of the overall economic system
- Improvements in the business
climate as well as public sector modernisation
- Reform of tax and customs
administrations and legislation
- Effective combating of
corruption and fraud
- Increased transparency
in the management of oil revenues and in the privatisation process
- Progress in poverty reduction,
sustainable development and environmental protection
- Progress in WTO accession
- Progress in conflict
resolution and enhanced regional cooperation
- Prudent macroeconomic
policies need to be maintained to support effective implementation of an Action
Plan.
Key objectives for an Action
Plan of Georgia should include:
- Strengthening respect
for the rule of law (reform of judiciary, law enforcement agencies, penitentiary)
and enhanced human rights protection
- Strengthening of democratic
structures and pluralism (reform of parliament, strengthening independence
of media, reform of local self government, electoral reform)
- Improvements in the business
climate as well as public sector modernisation
- Reform of tax and customs
administrations and legislation and strengthening the fight against corruption
and fraud
- A transparent privatisation
process
- Progress in poverty reduction,
sustainable development; environmental protection
- Progress in the resolution
of conflicts and enhanced regional cooperation.
- Prudent macroeconomic
policies need to be maintained to support effective implementation of an Action
Plan.
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