RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the general principles for the participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Union programmes

16.6.2016 - (05616/2014 – C8‑0043/2014 – 2013/0420(NLE)) - ***

Committee on Foreign Affairs
Rapporteur: Norica Nicolai

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the general principles for the participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Union programmes

(05616/2014 – C8‑0043/2014 – 2013/0420(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the draft Council decision (05616/2014),

–  having regard to the draft Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the general principles for the participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Union programmes (05618/2014),

–  having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 212 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C8‑0043/2014),

–  having regard to Rule 99(1), first and third subparagraphs, Rule 99(2), and Rule 108(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A8-0210/2016),

1.  Gives its consent to conclusion of the Protocol;

2.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

SHORT JUSTIFICATION

The objective of the Protocol is to lay down financial and technical rules enabling Azerbaijan to participate in certain European Union Programmes open to third countries. The specific terms and conditions for the participation of Azerbaijan in each particular programme will be then determined in agreement between the Commission and the competent authorities in Azerbaijan.

The gradual opening of certain Union programmes to the neighbourhood countries was outlined by the Commission already in 2006 and set as one of the components of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The Council endorsed this approach in 2007 and issued directives for the Commission to negotiate Framework Agreements with the partner countries that would facilitate this participation. This approach was further endorsed in the 2011 Review of the ENP, and it is also one of the elements of the Eastern Partnership for enhancing bilateral cooperation. In October 2012, Azerbaijan expressed its interest to participate in the Union programmes. Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine have already concluded such Protocols.

The EU- Azerbaijan PCA has entered into force on 1 July 1999. Since 2010, the EU and Azerbaijan have been conducting negotiations for new and upgraded contractual relations, as per objectives of the Eastern Partnership that Azerbaijan is part of. Unfortunately, these negotiations have come to a stall in 2013. In the meantime, on 1 September 2014 the EU-Azerbaijan Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements came into force. Azerbaijan is also an important energy partner for the EU. However, the importance of EU-Azerbaijan relations is not limited to energy security, and the relevance of this partnership should be considered in the context of all aspects of cooperation envisaged in the framework of Eastern Partnership. The Parliament has expressed concerns in the last months about the increasing difficulties civil society actors and organisations face. Rule of law, human rights and democracy remain core principles on which relations of the EU with third countries should be based on. In this context, the framework agreement under consideration aims to promote cooperation in sectors and foster people-to-people contacts which should be beneficial for the society.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted	14.6.2016
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	51 5 2
Members present for the final vote	Lars Adaktusson, Nikos Androulakis, Francisco Assis, Petras Auštrevičius, Goffredo Maria Bettini, Lorenzo Cesa, Arnaud Danjean, Mark Demesmaeker, Georgios Epitideios, Anna Elżbieta Fotyga, Eugen Freund, Sandra Kalniete, Manolis Kefalogiannis, Tunne Kelam, Janusz Korwin-Mikke, Andrey Kovatchev, Eduard Kukan, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Arne Lietz, Barbara Lochbihler, Sabine Lösing, Andrejs Mamikins, Ramona Nicole Mănescu, David McAllister, Francisco José Millán Mon, Pier Antonio Panzeri, Demetris Papadakis, Ioan Mircea Paşcu, Tonino Picula, Andrej Plenković, Cristian Dan Preda, Jozo Radoš, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Jaromír Štětina, Charles Tannock, László Tőkés, Ivo Vajgl, Johannes Cornelis van Baalen, Geoffrey Van Orden, Hilde Vautmans, Boris Zala
Substitutes present for the final vote	Brando Benifei, Ana Gomes, Takis Hadjigeorgiou, Liisa Jaakonsaari, Javi López, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Norica Nicolai, Urmas Paet, Igor Šoltes, Renate Sommer, Dubravka Šuica, Eleni Theocharous, Ernest Urtasun, Janusz Zemke
Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote	Heidi Hautala, Hans-Olaf Henkel, Sofia Sakorafa