EU boosts regional cooperation and border management in the Eastern Neighbourhood and Russia

Yesterday, the Commission adopted the second part of the 2011 regional action programme for the Eastern Neighbourhood. It will address challenges in a wide range of sectors relevant for the whole region, such as integrated border management, territorial cooperation, youth, climate change and transport.

Actions, among others, to be taken will consist of border management support on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border as well as the Moldavian-Ukrainian border; wider territorial cooperation programmes between border regions of the EU Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries; regional cooperation in the field of youth work; the fostering of improved climate change policies in the whole neighbourhood area and Russia and the provision of technical support to the beneficiary countries to improve the connection between the Trans-European Transport Network and EU's Eastern neighbours. The programme is worth €62.5 million.

European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle said: "Only by working together – internationally, regionally and with civil society –will we be able to meet the challenges faced by the entire region. I encourage all Eastern Partnership countries to work together in order to enhance cooperation in key policy areas such as transport, climate change or security. Today's support is a further step in this direction."

Faced with globalisation and progressive trade liberalisation, the countries in the eastern part of the European Neighbourhood and Russia are challenged to revitalise and diversify their economies while maintaining fiscal and macroeconomic stability. Issues such as climate change or programmes for young people are further pressing problems. Socially, most countries in the eastern part of the European Neighbourhood and Russia are faced with security issues either on their borders or inside the country.

By assisting beneficiary countries in focusing on common challenges, a regional approach by the EU has the potential to increase confidence among partner countries, thus promoting increased security, stability, and prosperity in the region. This corresponds also to the objectives laid out in the new European neighbourhood Policy Communication (issued on 25 May 2011) concerning the EU's aim to build effective regional partnerships within the European Neighbourhood Policy.

Information from the European Commission
Photo: wikipedia.org

Tweet