REPORT on a Black Sea Regional Policy Approach

20.12.2007 - (2007/2101(INI))

Committee on Foreign Affairs
Rapporteur: Roberta Alma Anastase

Procedure : 2007/2101(INI)

Document stages in plenary

Document selected :

A6-0510/2007

Texts tabled :

A6-0510/2007

Debates :

PV 16/01/2008 - 15
CRE 16/01/2008 - 15

Votes :

PV 17/01/2008 - 6.4
Explanations of votes
Explanations of votes

Texts adopted :

P6_TA(2008)0017

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
OPINION of the Committee on International Trade
OPINION of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
OPINION of the Committee on Transport and Tourism
OPINION of the Committee on Regional Development
RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on a Black Sea Regional Policy Approach

(2007/2101(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament entitled "Black Sea Synergy – A New Regional Cooperation Initiative" (COM(2007)0160),

– having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council entitled "Regional cooperation in the Black Sea area: State of play, perspectives for EU action encouraging its further development" (COM(1997)0597),

– having regard to the Commission's Communication to the Council and the European Parliament of 4 December 2006 on strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) (COM(2006)0726),

– having regard to the ENP Action Plans adopted with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, as well as to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (PCAs) signed with those States and expiring in 2008 or 2009,

– having regard to the PCA establishing a partnership between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Russian Federation, of the other part, which entered into force on 1 December 1997 and expires in 2007,

– having regard to Council Decision 2006/35/EC of 23 January 2006 on the principles, priorities and conditions contained in the Accession Partnership with Turkey[1] ("the Accession Partnership"),

– having regard to its previous resolutions on the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine and the South Caucasus,

– having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2007 on strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy[2],

– having regard to its resolution of 13 December 2007 on the shipping disasters in the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea and the subsequent oil pollution[3],

– having regard to its resolution of .......... 2008 on a more effective EU policy for South Caucasus: from promises to actions[4],

– having regard to its resolution of 26 September 2007 "Towards a common European foreign policy on energy"[5],

– having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on International Trade, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, the Committee on Transport and Tourism and the Committee on Regional Development (A6-0510/2007),

A. whereas the Black Sea region lies at the junction of Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, characterised by close historical and cultural ties, and great potential, but also immense diversities; whereas the region comprises EU Member States Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, the candidate country Turkey and ENP partners Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, as well as the Russian Federation, with whom the EU has agreed on a strategic partnership based on Four Common Spaces,

B. whereas, with the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU, the Black Sea has become, to some extent, the EU's internal sea and has therefore acquired a new dimension of strategic importance for the EU, leading to the multiplication of shared challenges and objectives, as well as to renewed opportunities for strengthened cooperation between the EU and the countries in the region, with a view to creating a genuine space of security, stability, democracy and prosperity,

C. whereas the options for cooperation in the development and management of synergies in the Black Sea region are to be defined against the background of a great number of existing policies, formats and approaches towards the region,

D. whereas the Commission proposed an initial strategy towards the Black Sea region in its 1997 communication on regional cooperation in the Black Sea area,

E. whereas the specific aspects of the EU's policy towards the South Caucasus area are being dealt in a separate report prepared by Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs,

1. Welcomes the Commission's Communication entitled "Black Sea Synergy – A New Regional Cooperation Initiative" and the aim of enhancing cooperation with and within the Black Sea region by supplementing the existing bilateral policies with a new regional approach; notes, in particular, that the energy security issues and the accession negotiations with Turkey, as well as the forthcoming expiry of the PCAs and the negotiations on their future, place regional cooperation in the Black Sea area among the top priorities of the Union’s foreign policy agenda;

2. Considers that, in order to adopt a coherent, effective and result-oriented regional policy approach, the Communication has to be followed by further consistent steps on the part of the EU to encourage a genuine regional dimension tailored to this area; is also concerned by the fact that the results of the Black Sea regional strategy pursued since 1997 have not been properly evaluated; calls on the Commission to prepare a thorough assessment of previous and ongoing activities and to present the results to the European Parliament; welcomes the intention of the Commission to provide for an initial evaluation of the Black Sea Synergy in 2008, and calls upon it to put forward concrete proposals for fostering regional cooperation and genuine partnership in the Black Sea area, based on the results of its evaluation and taking into account the recommendations contained in this and other relevant resolutions of the European Parliament; encourages the Commission to use the experiences gained in the Northern Dimension when drafting any future review or extension of its Black Sea strategy;

3. Stresses that the Black Sea regional policy approach must be used neither to provide an alternative to EU membership nor to define the frontiers of the EU; considers, however, that the objectives specified herein should represent an integral and coherent part of the broader EU foreign policy towards the neighbouring countries and countries participating in the Black Sea regional strategy;

4. Believes that regional cooperation in the Black Sea region should involve the EU, ENP countries, candidate country Turkey and Russia as equal partners; believes that only by gradually creating a feeling of shared responsibility among the Black Sea countries for the region’s common challenges, including security issues, will it be possible to fulfil the full potential of Europe’s involvement in the region; calls on the Council and the Commission to actively involve all Black Sea countries in the policy approach;

5. Considers that the new regional approach should be targeted at a number of priority areas for which the Commission should provide a detailed action plan envisaging concrete objectives, benchmarks and follow-up and constituting a basis for enhancing the EU's involvement in the region as well as intra-regional cooperation; underlines that the EU must concentrate on a limited set of priority objectives and avoid dispersion and duplication of efforts;

6. Approves the doubling of the financial resources made available under the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument for the funding of cross-border projects; calls for the principles governing the Structural Funds, in particular partnership, sustainability, efficiency, non-discrimination and decentralisation, to be applied to the use of these financial resources; calls on the Commission to inform Parliament of the implementation of these funds and of progress made, by means of short bi-annual reports;

7. Calls for a rational use of Community financial instruments through better coordination of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, the Structural Funds and the pre-accession funds available to the region; calls on the Commission, acting in cooperation with the beneficiary States, to lay down a general reporting system before the resources are disbursed, with a view to monitoring and assessing to what extent the use of those resources is sustainable, efficient, and in accordance with general EU policy objectives;

8. Calls on the Commission to make the decentralised financial instrument Small Project Funds available for people-to-people projects in the area of cross-border cooperation and to make special efforts to encourage the use of that instrument;

9. Stresses the need to reinforce capacity-building among local and regional stakeholders in the Black Sea region as regards programming and project preparation and implementation in order to ensure efficient management of Community financial instruments;

A. Key priority fields of cooperation

Security challenges

10. Underlines that the unresolved conflicts persisting in the Black Sea region constitute a major challenge to the stability and sustainable development of the region, as well as an important obstacle in the process of fostering regional cooperation; calls therefore for more active and comprehensive EU involvement in the ongoing efforts to resolve the conflicts, in accordance with international law and the principles of territorial integrity, and for a deeper engagement on the part of the EU in conflict management and peace-keeping operations; considers that the EU has a key role to play in contributing to the culture of understanding, dialogue and confidence-building in the region;

11. Takes note of the substantial military presence of Russia in the region, in the form of the Black Sea fleet, which is stationed in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol; points out that the 1997 agreement between Russia and Ukraine concerning the stationing of the Black Sea fleet expires in 2017; notes that this as yet unresolved matter has already created some friction between the Russian and Ukrainian governments; encourages the EU to engage in this strategically important issue and to work more closely with the governments of Russia and Ukraine;

12. Emphasises that the EU needs to define a stable set of priorities in the area of freedom, security and justice within the framework of the Black Sea Synergy, aimed at establishing harmonisation and compatibility in entire policy areas;

13. Recalls the need to address the challenges posed by transnational crime, trafficking and illegal migration, whilst fully respecting the non-refoulement principle; underlines that measures in this field must be coupled with appropriate measures to enhance mobility in order to stimulate people-to-people contacts and thereby spread European values of democracy, the rule of law and human rights; urges the Council and the Commission, therefore, to conclude visa-facilitation and readmission agreements with those Black Sea countries that do not yet enjoy them, as well as to promote mobility by all other possible means, including the signing of mobility partnerships with ENP countries; stresses, in particular, the need for efficient visa facilitation for local cross-border traffic and for specific population groups such as students, businessmen and civil society actors;

14. Stresses the importance of further developing cross-border and border management cooperation, with a view to attaining the objectives with regard to both security and fluidity of movement; considers that the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) provides important experience in tackling security challenges through multilateral cooperation, and believes that it should be further strengthened and applied as an example of border cooperation;

15. Stresses the need for in-depth analysis of the specific security situations and challenges in the various states in the Black Sea region; supports the proposal that Europol be given a mandate and resources to produce analytic work relating to the region, in particular in the field of migration;

Promotion of political stability and effective democracy

16. Considers that a new Black Sea policy approach cannot be limited to economic cooperation but should aim at creating an area marked by sustainable democracy, good governance and the rule of law, and underlines, in particular, the importance of political and judicial reform and effective implementation of commitments; stresses that fostering respect for human rights, democracy and fundamental freedoms is one of the main pillars of the EU's external policy, and emphasises the need to mainstream those values respectively both in bilateral relations and in the regional approach, irrespective of the degree of willingness shown by partner governments; calls upon the European Union to address the issues of regional cooperation in these fields within the human rights dialogues and consultations with the Black Sea countries, as well as within multilateral fora; encourages the Commission to make full use of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights and of the Black Sea Synergy in order to promote regional cooperation among civil societies;

17. Welcomes the initiative of creating a Black Sea Euroregion aimed at fostering regional cooperation through cooperation among regional and local actors; stresses the importance of bottom-up projects and of cross-border cooperation at local level in the process of building a genuine space of democracy and effective governance in the Black Sea area;

18. Stresses the crucial importance of establishing and developing good neighbourly relations among the countries of the Black Sea region and with their neighbours, based on mutual respect, territorial integrity, non-interference in each others' internal affairs and the prohibition of the use of force or threats to use force, as fundamental principles for fostering regional cooperation; underlines the significance of close dialogue with civil society and of intercultural dialogue in this field and calls upon the Commission to further promote it, particularly in the context of the 2008 Year of Intercultural Dialogue, with a view to creating a culture of mutual tolerance, respect for diversity, and regional dialogue and cooperation;

Cooperation in the field of energy, transport and the environment

19. Notes the strategic importance of the Black Sea region as a production and transmission area for diversification and security of energy supply for the EU; reiterates its support for the creation of new infrastructure and viable transport corridors diversifying both suppliers and routes, such as the trans-Caspian/trans-Black Sea energy corridor and the Nabucco, Constanţa-Trieste and AMBO pipelines, as well as other planned gas and oil transit projects crossing the Black Sea and the INOGATE and TRACECA projects connecting the Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions; calls for social and environmental impact assessments to analyse the impact of the construction of such new transit infrastructures; believes that the Black Sea Synergy should constitute an adequate framework for promoting market reforms in the region aimed at creating competitive, predictable and transparent energy markets;

20. Emphasises the importance of the Danube as one of the main transport axes and economic arteries connecting the EU and the Black Sea region; considers, therefore, that the sustainable development of the Danube and the economic potential to link the countries surrounding the Black Sea should be among the EU’s priorities in the region; asks the Commission to come forward with a study exploring possible concrete initiatives in this respect, including environmental concerns; insists that, if full advantage is to be taken of the EU's access to the Black Sea, it will be vital to develop the harbour insfrastructures at the EU's Black Sea ports (Bourgas, Constanţa, Mangalia and Varna) as well as those located at the Danube estuary, with a view to ensuring intermodal transport;

21. Considers that regional coherence would greatly benefit from initiatives to enhance physical links between all Black Sea littoral states; believes that cooperation in the fields of transport and the environment should not be limited to energy issues but should provide a comprehensive approach taking into account the needs of the region; notes the plans to set up the Black Sea ring highway; stresses the importance of the Black Sea and of the Danube as strategic transportation routes in the region;

22. Is deeply concerned about the environmental situation in the Black Sea region, in particular that of the Black Sea, affected by uncontrolled pollution and aggravated by numerous ecological accidents, as well as that of the Danube and its delta; underlines the need for enhanced implementation of multilateral environmental agreements in the region and for the inclusion of an environmental evaluation in all regional projects, and calls for increased cooperation between the EU and the Black Sea countries in order to tackle the whole range of environmental challenges in the region;

23. Is particularly concerned about uncontrolled oil pollution and its impact on wildlife; stresses the need for cooperation going beyond the support provided by the Commission via its Monitoring and Information Centre, particularly in the field of prevention of oil spills, with a special focus on the reinforcement of maritime transport safety for tankers;

24. Draws attention to the Danube delta, which hosts unique habitats for species of flora and fauna; stresses the strong need for an environmental impact assessment of infrastructures such as the Bistraya channel between Romania and Ukraine;

25. Calls on the Commission to apply the approach of the DABLAS Task Force (for the Danube and the Black Sea) in order to resolve the environmental problems, focussing not only on the Danube but also on the Dniester and Dnieper river basins;

Trade and economic cooperation

26. Points out the uneven, albeit strong, economic growth in the entire region, but draws attention to the fact that growth is more sustained in the oil and gas exporting countries; points to the fragility of the private sector in many countries bordering the Black Sea; stresses the importance of building a space of economic opportunities and prosperity in the Black Sea region for its population and trading partners; underlines the need to improve the investment climate, for both local and international companies, in particular by stepping up the fight against corruption and fraud, and to promote market economy reforms aimed at increasing competitiveness and economic attractiveness, creating diversified economies, and providing for sustainable growth, as well as social justice and coherence; encourages harmonisation and further liberalisation measures and supports the creation of a free trade area in accordance with WTO principles; believes that the EU, as major economic partner of the Black Sea countries, has a leading role to play in promoting the above-mentioned goals and in encouraging the region to take the necessary steps;

27. Takes into account the significant role of coastal and maritime tourism as a major catalyst for the development of the Black Sea region in terms of trade and economic growth; stresses the need to further develop tourism infrastructure and to encourage diversification of tourism products, thus protecting traditional means of livelihood, making better use of natural resources (e.g. geothermal resources, which offer important business opportunities) and providing for improvement of the quality of life in the region; stresses that facilitation of visa regimes in the neighbourhood will encourage mobility and foster trade and economic activity; believes that the Black Sea Synergy should constitute an adequate framework for promoting the development of tourism in the Black Sea region;

28. Welcomes inter-regional initiatives in the region such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway Project, which was launched by Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey on 21 November 2007 and is expected to be completed in 2008, and the initiative to provide a non-stop rail service between Europe and China; underlines that the Black Sea policy initiative opens the way for a great improvement in the economic and political integration of that part of the world into the European and international economy;

Education, training and research

29. Underlines the importance of enhancing intercultural dialogue and calls upon the Commission to further promote it;

30. Stresses the need to facilitate people-to-people contacts by promoting cooperation in the fields of education, training and research via existing and available EU programmes (Tempus, Erasmus Mundus, Seventh Research Framework Programme); invites the EU and the Black Sea countries to step up their cooperation;

31. Underlines the importance of attracting researchers from the Black Sea countries to the EU, by simplifying procedures related to the granting of work permits, inter alia through the blue card system;

B. Institutional aspects

32. Favours a leading role for the EU Member States of the region in promoting enhanced cooperation with and within the region; considers that Romania, Bulgaria and Greece, as EU Member States in the Black Sea region, can and should lead the way in this respect; underlines the special role to be played by these Member States in the transfer of expertise and know-how through the Twinning, TAIEX and Sigma programmes; believes that full use should be made of the EU's experience in promoting regional cooperation in other adjacent external spaces, in particular within the Northern Dimension, in order to exchange practices and lessons learnt;

33. Recalls that a number of regional cooperation mechanisms are already in place in the Black Sea area; underlines, therefore, the need for the EU and the Black Sea countries to coordinate activities and prevent duplication of effort; considers that strengthening the various regional organisations and initiatives, such as the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), the Black Sea Forum for Partnership and Dialogue, the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development and other sectoral organisations, according to their specific expertise, and strengthening cooperation with them, could provide an appropriate framework for creating synergies; believes that the political dimension of the dialogue and cooperation with and within the Black Sea region should also be further developed;

34. Underlines the importance of Russia's and Turkey's positions in the Black Sea region for the purposes of promoting regional cooperation; considers it important for the success of the Black Sea regional cooperation to involve these countries in a constructive way, alongside all the other rim States;

35. Welcomes the fact that the Commission has recently obtained BSEC observer status and takes note of the existing relations between the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the BSEC; considers it important to further encourage the parliamentary dimension of the cooperation between the European Parliament and the parliaments of the Black Sea countries;

36. Stresses the need to develop cooperation in the Black Sea Region also at the non-governmental level; in this regard, calls on the Commission to support the setting-up of an NGO platform for the Black Sea with the aim of creating a framework for exchanges between the civil societies of the region, to enhance awareness of the common problems and to contribute to the implementation and monitoring of the EU's policies for the region;

° °

37. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, to the governments and parliaments of the Member States and to the governments and parliaments of all Black Sea countries.

[1] OJ L 22, 26.1.2006, p. 34.
[2] Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2007)0538.
[3] Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2007)0625.
[4] (see the Polfer report (2007/2076(INI)), on the same plenary agenda as this report)
[5] Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2007)0413.

OPINION of the Committee on International Trade (24.10.2007)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs

on a new regional approach in the Black Sea
(2007/2101(INI))

Draftsman: Kader Arif

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on International Trade calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1. Notes that since 1 January 2007, with the enlargement of the EU to include Bulgaria and Romania, the Black Sea has become a European sea and that the EU’s frontiers now go beyond that region; also notes that the accession negotiations with Turkey, renewal of the strategic partnership with Russia and Ukraine and energy security issues place regional cooperation over the Black Sea among the first priorities of the Union’s foreign policy agenda;

2. Considers that the EU, in its cooperation with the Black Sea region, should in particular rely on the three States which are members of both the EU and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation (BSEC)(Greece, Romania and Bulgaria) and take advantage of its close ties with the candidate country Turkey;

3. Notes with satisfaction that the Black Sea basin has become a region whose inhabitants share a vision of a peaceful existence founded upon mutual interest;

4. Notes that the Black Sea region has become one of the world’s regions where growth is greatest – on average 8% in 2004; points out, however, that this growth is uneven and more sustained in the oil- and gas-exporting countries, and that it is still generally fragile because of the strong dependence on exports of a few products and on an environment that does not always encourage investment in, and development of, the private sector, not least because of problems with corruption and fraud in some countries; draws attention therefore to the need for this region to create a stable institutional environment of a kind that will favour sustainable and equitable growth;

5. Takes the view that firmer anchoring of the Black Sea countries in the European and global economy will be achieved through diversification of their economies and greater regional integration on the basis of the development of economic relations and trade promotion, stressing the advantages of their geographical proximity and the complementary nature of their economies;

6. Points out that strengthening economic and trade relations is indissociable from a political effort to safeguard peace, democracy, respect for human rights, gender equality and the promotion of intercultural dialogue;

7. Considers trade, transport, energy, science and technology, education, the environment, agriculture, fisheries and tourism to be important sectors of cooperation from the point of view of guaranteeing the future economic development of the region and the success of its integration;

8. Takes the view that the region, thanks to its geo-strategic position as a crossroads and transit region and its economic and human potential (natural resources, industrial and agricultural base, skilled workforce), has a range of possibilities that could, in the long term, increase its international standing and allow lasting integration into European and international trade;

9. Considers it essential to take into account the different levels of development among the Black Sea countries and between them and the EU; stresses in consequence the need to give those countries the right to control the speed with which they open up their trade and their national strategies for economic and social development;

10. Recalls that trade negotiations must be tailored to the socio-economic reality of each of those countries and that trade for sustainable development must contribute to social progress; asks therefore that negotiations be orientated towards social cohesion and sustainable development and include provisions for decent work and social and environmental standards;

11. Welcomes the Commission’s desire to encourage increased dialogue with the Black Sea region, supplementing the existing bilateral policies (membership, neighbourly relations, strategic partnership) with a new ‘Black Sea Synergy’, but regrets the lack of ambition in the Commission proposals for this new regional cooperation initiative and considers that, in order to adopt a coherent and effective regional approach, the EU needs to encourage in the long term a genuinely regional dimension tailored to this zone which puts all the partners on an equal footing; considers that the future development of the Black Sea region, which is extremely important in geopolitical terms as the link between Europe and Asia, would benefit greatly from an independent Black Sea strategy, particularly with regard to international trade;

12. Considers that the EU should draw up a common action plan for all the Black Sea countries, taking account both of the needs of each individual state and those of the region as a whole; points out that a common approach between the States, local and regional authorities, trade-union and employers’ organisations and civil society would make it possible to identify priorities for the new policies, especially for improving infrastructure, developing SMEs and sustainable growth;

13. Considers that there is a need for the EU and the Black Sea countries to establish inter-regional cooperation mechanisms that will prevent duplication of effort and coordinate their activities, as the present overlap of structures is the cause of some inefficiency;

14. Recalls that the BSEC is the only body that groups all the Black Sea countries together, and considers that strengthening this organisation, for example through direct investment and technology transfer, will provide an appropriate framework in which to foster cooperation;

15. Considers that the BSEC can be enhanced by the EU’s contribution, particularly in the following fields: economic and legislative expertise, synchronisation with European standards, and programmes for the preparation and training of personnel working in the various sectors of the economy and public service; calls on the EU accordingly to increase its technical and financial assistance to the Black Sea countries;

16. Considers that the Black Sea countries should be taking more substantial action in the area of scientific and technological research by giving greater priority to a development model founded on a knowledge-based economy, thus encouraging steadier and more sustainable economic growth; calls on the EU and the Black Sea countries to step up their cooperation in the fields of education, science and technology, research and innovation, on the basis of existing partnerships;

17. Believes that the significant challenges, opportunities and risks in key areas, such as the environment, transport of energy resources, biodiversity, renewable energy, research, new technologies and innovation call for the creation of a new institutional structure to integrate and coordinate actions in the Black Sea region;

18. Recalls that the EU provides support for regional cooperation in the Black Sea, particularly through its involvement in the TRACECA (Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) and INOGATE (Interstate Oil and Gas Transport to Europe) programmes, the Black Sea environmental programme, the Black Sea regional energy centre and the Black Sea international study centre;

19. Would, however, like to see a more active and productive European commitment, particularly a financial commitment, to the region, whose limited resources currently pose a significant obstacle to development;

20. Draws attention to the role played by the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) in consolidating economic cooperation within the BSEC, by supporting investment projects in infrastructure fields such as transport and telecommunications; wants to see more participation by the EU in BSTDB projects;

21. Considers that the EU and the Black Sea countries must pursue and extend their cooperation to rehabilitate and renew often ageing infrastructure in the areas of transport and energy;

22. Calls on the EU and the Black Sea countries to improve their energy efficiency, particularly by implementing policies favouring the development of renewable energies and environmental protection;

23. Is concerned about the damaging environmental consequences (such as the deterioration of the ecosystem and the extinction of numerous species) of the uncontrolled pollution of the Black Sea (caused by industrial waste carried and deposited by major European rivers, the industries that line the Black Sea and oil spillages), not to mention the damaging effects of excessive fishing;

24. Calls urgently for increased cooperation between the EU and the Black Sea rim countries to counter the potential environmental disaster taking shape in the waters of the Black Sea; also considers it essential to give greater autonomy of action, backed up by the necessary funds, to the regional and local protagonists, associations and the people living on the Black Sea rim, since they are primarily affected by the decline in their quality of life;

25. Emphasises that the aim of the new Black Sea regional cooperation initiative must neither be to provide an alternative to joining the EU, nor to define the EU’s frontiers, nor to interfere in the negotiations with Turkey;

26. Calls on the Commission to explore a possible extension of the Mediterranean Environmental Technical Assistance Programme (METAP) to the Black Sea region, in particular with regard to its programmes on coastal zone management and waste treatment.

RESULT OF THE FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date of adoption	9.10.2007
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	28 0 0
Members present for final vote	Kader Arif, Cristian Silviu Buşoi, Carlos Carnero González, Daniel Caspary, Françoise Castex, Jean Louis Cottigny, Christofer Fjellner, Glyn Ford, Béla Glattfelder, Ignasi Guardans Cambó, Eduard Raul Hellvig, Jacky Henin, Sajjad Karim, Alain Lipietz, Caroline Lucas, Marusya Ivanova Lyubcheva, Erika Mann, Helmuth Markov, David Martin, Vural Öger, Georgios Papastamkos, Robert Sturdy, Daniel Varela Suanzes-Carpegna, Corien Wortmann-Kool, Zbigniew Zaleski
Substitute(s) present for final vote	Jean-Pierre Audy, Eugenijus Maldeikis, Zuzana Roithová
Substitute(s) present for final vote under Rule 178(2)

OPINION of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (23.11.2007)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs

on a new Black Sea regional policy approach
(2007/2101(INI))

Draftswoman: Silvia-Adriana Ţicău

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1. Recognises that, with the accession of Romania and Bulgaria, the European Union has become a major player in the Black Sea region, which is of geostrategic importance in terms of energy security and the diversification of EU energy supply routes, given its proximity to the Caspian Sea, the Middle East and Central Asia;

2. Maintains that fostering the principles of the EU cannot be done only at the level of political values, and that it is also necessary to foster open and transparent markets in the region; maintains that in order to develop trade in the area, it is necessary to negotiate procedures with a view to harmonising taxes and customs formalities, as well as harmonising the procedures for granting visas;

3. Stresses the importance of the projected Nabucco gas pipeline for the diversification of EU energy sources, welcomes the appointment of a coordinator for this priority project 'of European interest' and asks the Commission and Member States, together with their partners, to ensure its implementation; notes that the fact that the financial background to the building of the Nabucco pipeline is emerging increasingly clearly may impart fresh impetus to investment which is of key importance from the point of view of the region;

4. Considers that, for the purpose of international trade and the transport of hydrocarbons in the region, it is essential to develop EU Black Sea and maritime Danube port infrastructures and intermodal transport arrangements and calls on the Commission and the Member States to accelerate the realisation of priority trans-European transport projects along axes 7, 18, 21 and 22 referred to in Annex II of Decision 884/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 amending Decision No 1692/96/EC on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network and their progressive integration with TRACECA, the central axis, the south-east axis and the international maritime transport connections referred to in the Commission communication to the Council and European Parliament 'Extension of the major trans-European transport axes to the neighbouring countries - Guidelines for transport in Europe and neighbouring regions (COM(2007)0032);

5. Regrets the lack of investment coordination for projects in the field of transport, energy and tourism in the region and, drawing attention to the danger of the Black Sea becoming polluted, stresses the need for environmental projects;

6. Recognises the importance of the Black Sea Forum and the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and recommends the creation of an EU-Black Sea Dimension similar to the Northern Dimension, based on equal partnership and an infrastructure adequate to the task of developing priority projects for transport, energy, nuclear safety, tourism, the combating of climate change, education and research in the Black Sea region; considers that the Black Sea Dimension must be geared to strengthening the existing forms of cooperation rather than creating new bureaucratic institutions;

7. Bearing in mind the strategic partnership between the EU and states in the Black Sea region, stresses the importance of financing and coordinating investments for priority transport, energy and environment projects in the Black Sea region and recommends that states in the region use all available financial instruments to finance these projects (Cohesion Fund, European Regional Development Fund, Neighbourhood Investment Fund, Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument);

8. Draws attention to Russia's increasing activity in the Black Sea region; observes in this connection that the EU must make it clear that it regards as unacceptable any attempts to secure a monopoly over energy resources there and considers that ensuring direct access to resources is a legitimate Community interest and that the principles of free competition must be applied in formulating EU policy on this subject;

9. Calls for more active use of the European Neighbourhood Policy, launched in 2004, and notes that more attention should be given not only to bilateral but also to multilateral regional agreements.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted	22.11.2007
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	32 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Jan Březina, Giles Chichester, Den Dover, András Gyürk, Ján Hudacký, Werner Langen, Herbert Reul, Radu Ţîrle, Nikolaos Vakalis, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, Adam Gierek, Norbert Glante, Reino Paasilinna, Andres Tarand, Anne Laperrouze, Miloslav Ransdorf, Jerzy Buzek, Pilar del Castillo Vera, Nicole Fontaine, Erna Hennicot-Schoepges, Romana Jordan Cizelj, Angelika Niebler, Paul Rübig, Eluned Morgan, Teresa Riera Madurell, Catherine Trautmann, Umberto Guidoni, Vladimír Remek
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Neena Gill, Joan Calabuig Rull, Lambert van Nistelrooij, Vladimir Urutchev
Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote

OPINION of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (19.10.2007)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs

on a Black Sea regional policy approach
(2007/2101(INI))

Draftsman: Leopold Józef Rutowicz

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Transport and Tourism calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1. Acknowledges that with the accession of two States bordering on the Black Sea, Bulgaria and Romania, new challenges are emerging in the European Union for regional and cross-border cooperation between the EU and the Black Sea region; stresses that enhancing the transport infrastructure and tourism in the region would foster international trade and economic and social development, while giving fresh impetus to political dialogue and stability and frozen conflicts resolution in the region leading to further opportunities to attract investments;

2. Insists that if full advantage is to be taken of the EU's access to the Black Sea, it will be vital to develop the harbour infrastructures at the EU's Black Sea ports (Burgas, Constanţa, Mangalia, Varna) as well as those located at the Danube estuary, with a view to ensuring intermodal transport;

3. Recommends, given the specific characteristics of the Danube Delta, which is home to over 1200 plant and tree species, 300 bird species and 100 fish species, that the development of tourism and transport infrastructure in the Danube Delta protected area should respect and protect its biodiversity;

4. Recalls that the Black Sea region, which is situated close to the Caspian Basin, is of high geopolitical importance for the transport and transit of hydrocarbon reserves located in the Caspian Sea territory of Iran and Azerbaijan, while providing a physical link to Central Asia via the so-called 'Great Silk Road';

5. Believes that diversifying the modes of transport, the geographical sources and the transit routes of energy resources by means of maritime transport, pipelines or seaports will reduce Europe's dependence on existing suppliers and provide more security of energy flows which in turn will contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region;

6. Welcomes the report of the High Level Group for the extension of the large trans-European transport axes to the neighbouring countries and regions as well as the idea of extending the application of the EU’s satellite based navigation system Galileo, taking into account the foreseen impact of EU future enlargements;

7. Considers that transport has a key role to play in the creation of cooperation networks and in regional development, and calls on the Commission to draw up a more comprehensive strategy under the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and its relevant Action Plans, having regard to the conclusions of the High Level Group Report;

8. Calls for the progressive integration of transport networks and markets in the region and synergies between the relevant trans-European transport network (TEN-T) and Pan-European Corridors/Areas and the new transnational axes proposed by the Commission with the TRACECA corridor; welcomes the Commission's decision to undertake a review in 2008 of the list of priority projects for trans-European transport, and stresses the importance of extending the TEN-Ts to the countries bordering on the EU in the Black Sea region;

9. Calls on the Commission and those Member States directly concerned to accelerate the implementation of the trans-European projects - priority axes 7, 18, 21 and 22 as defined in Decision No 884/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 amending Decision No 1692/96/EC on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network[1] - in order to ensure access to the Black Sea by road, rail, inland waterway and sea routes; considers, in addition, that the full economic and tourist development of the Member States in the Black Sea region will necessitate motorway and high-speed rail links between the central and western parts of the EU and the Black Sea coast;

10. Stresses the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding on state control of the ports in the Black Sea region, draws attention to the fact that some of the countries which have signed the Memorandum are still on the blacklist or 'grey list' of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding concerning state control of the ports, and insists on the importance of cooperation in the Black Sea region so as to act effectively against pollution of the marine environment and the coastal areas, on a basis of safety standards for naval transport in the region;

11. Welcomes the fact that EU has been granted observer status into the BSEC (Black Sea Economic Cooperation) and calls on the Commission to develop a coherent action plan in order to enhance cooperation and to provide effective support for BSEC initiatives in the transport field;

12. Calls on the Commission to step up dialogue with the 16 Baku Initiative partner countries, with due reference to the need for proper targeting of funding for cross-border ventures and most issues relating to sea and air (black list) transport and the transport of hazardous materials, and to ensure that such ventures are carried out in keeping with current EU and international standards;

13. Calls for advocacy within the ENP Action Plans for gradual implementation of the EU legal framework and standards with regard to infrastructures of rail and road transport, including interoperability issues, safety and security of passengers and freight;

14. Suggests a strategic extension of the European Common Aviation Area principles to all partner countries in the Black Sea region, which should apply the Community acquis, including Single European Sky regulations, in order to achieve traffic efficiency and generate an economically profitable airspace;

15. Deplores the lack of coordination of investments in projects in the transport sector and calls on the Commission to identify priorities for the cross-border sections and to put in place a strong and effective coordination mechanism for their implementation;

16. Takes the view that the implementation of projects for the region, such as TRACECA, the Baku Initiative for trans-European transport cooperation, the Motorway of the Sea in the BSEC region and the Black Sea Ring Road, requires the cooperation of all countries in the region, which, by ensuring synergies, will create added value and the environment required for their implementation.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted	9.10.2007
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	36 4 0
Members present for the final vote	Gabriele Albertini, Inés Ayala Sender, Etelka Barsi-Pataky, Paolo Costa, Arūnas Degutis, Saïd El Khadraoui, Robert Evans, Emanuel Jardim Fernandes, Francesco Ferrari, Luis de Grandes Pascual, Mathieu Grosch, Stanisław Jałowiecki, Georg Jarzembowski, Dieter-Lebrecht Koch, Jaromír Kohlíček, Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Sepp Kusstatscher, Jörg Leichtfried, Eva Lichtenberger, Erik Meijer, Robert Navarro, Luís Queiró, Reinhard Rack, Luca Romagnoli, Gilles Savary, Brian Simpson, Renate Sommer, Dirk Sterckx, Ulrich Stockmann, Georgios Toussas, Yannick Vaugrenard, Roberts Zīle
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Philip Bradbourn, Aldis Kušķis, Joost Lagendijk, Ioan Mircea Paşcu, Leopold Józef Rutowicz
Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote	Ovidiu Victor Ganţ, Bilyana Ilieva Raeva, Olle Schmidt

[1] OJ L 167, 30.4.2004 . Corrected version in OJ L 201, 7.6.2004.

OPINION of the Committee on Regional Development (21.11.2007)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs

on a Black Sea Regional Policy Approach
(2007/2101(INI))

Draftsman: Yiannakis Matsis

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Regional Development calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

1. Notes that the Black Sea Synergy initiative is built around three strategies concerning the Black Sea region, namely enlargement towards South-East Europe and Turkey, the European Neighbourhood Policy and the four EU/Russia common spaces; regrets, however, that bilateral relations dominate in each of these strategies and calls for the development of a multilateral framework for cooperation that enhances regional synergy;

2. Emphasises the importance of applying the EU's regional policy approach in the Black Sea region as a significant tool with which to stimulate the democratic, social and economic development of and trans-border cooperation among the countries in this region;

3. Approves the doubling of the financial resources made available under the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument for the funding of cross-border projects; calls for the principles governing the Structural Funds, in particular partnership, sustainability, efficiency, non-discrimination and decentralisation, to be applied to the use of these financial resources; calls on the Commission to inform Parliament of the implementation of these funds and progress made, by means of short bi-annual reports;

4. Recalls that increased cooperation among the countries neighbouring the Black Sea has a positive effect on the development of the villages, cities and regions of those states and should therefore be further supported and encouraged;

5. Calls for a rational use of Community financial instruments through better coordination of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, the Structural Funds and the pre-accession funds available to the region; calls on the Commission, acting in cooperation with the beneficiary States, to lay down a general reporting system before the resources are disbursed, with a view to monitoring and assessing to what extent the use of those resources is sustainable, efficient, and in accordance with general EU policy objectives;

6. Calls on the Commission to make the decentralised financial instrument Small Project Funds available for people-to-people projects in the area of cross-border cooperation and to make special efforts to encourage the use of that instrument;

7. Stresses the need to reinforce capacity building among local and regional stakeholders in the Black Sea region as regards programming and project preparation and implementation in order to ensure efficient management of Community financial instruments;

8. Calls on the Commission to strengthen its relations with the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) and other regional organizations involved with economic and social development and the promotion of human rights and democracy, particularly now that, following the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union, three Member States of the Union are also members of the BSEC and that other BSEC members are either candidates or potential candidates for membership of the European Union or involved in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and the European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument (ENPI); in this context, calls on the members of the BSEC not to veto the participation of any EU Member State in the BSEC;

9. In this connection, calls on the Commission to propose a more concrete mechanism for cooperation between the EU and the abovementioned organisations as well as to clarify the ways in which the BSEC could be involved in the various Community-sponsored initiatives in the region;

10. Calls for existing links between the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the BSEC to be strengthened and to be further developed institutionally in the context of the implementation of Black Sea synergy;

11. Emphasises that cross-border cooperation platforms such as Euroregions can play an essential role in tackling common challenges and in reinforcing regional synergy between local and regional authorities in the Black Sea region; in this context, welcomes the initiative of a Black Sea Euroregion and encourages the Commission to enhance cooperation with the Council of Europe in order to support its establishment and development;

12. Regrets the fact that, despite its huge potential in terms of energy resources in a future integrated European energy system, as well as its transports possibilities, the regions suffer from environmental problems, inadequate border controls and in some areas even frozen conflicts and internal conflicts, which together not only undermine the development prospects of the region and regional cooperation, but also lead to an increased level of organised crime; stresses the need for more active involvement on the part of the EU in the Black Sea area and calls for initiatives under the ENP which will assist these states in improving their technical capacity and help them to combat illegal immigration and organised crime and to modernise their infrastructure;

13. Calls on the Commission to encourage that measures to support the energy and transport sectors give priority to the requirements of energy efficiency, environmental protection and, in particular, climate protection;

14. Encourages the Commission in its efforts to stimulate Black Sea synergy and notes that this strategy might be extended beyond the Black Sea region to the Caspian Basin and on to central Asia; in this context, encourages the Commission in its involvement in bilateral and particular multilateral efforts to raise human rights standards, develop democratic institutions in the area and promote good and decentralised governance and the rule of law, with the aim of creating an area of true democracy and prosperity; encourages the Member States to work with their regional authorities to increase the participation of citizens and NGOs;

15. Emphasises the link between interregional cooperation, regional development, good governance, a decentralised approach, democracy and the promotion of human rights and prosperity, and thus recalls the importance of current programmes and initiatives to increase the stability of and improve cooperation among the states of the Black Sea region;

16. Applauds the success of the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine; recommends its further consolidation and awaits with interest the Commission communication on improving the management of migration and illegal immigration; believes that economic development, security and stability and political dialogue are the keys to resolving frozen conflicts and that every effort should be made in these areas;

17. Regards the environmental pollution of the Black Sea as s severe obstacle to the development of the region, and therefore encourages the Commission to apply the approach of the DABLAS Task Force (for the Danube and the Black Sea) to resolve the problems, focussing not only on the Danube but also on the Dniester and Dnieper river basins;

18. Emphasises that successful implementation of regional projects in areas of common interest could increase mutual confidence among partners and bring about progress towards resolving conflicts;

19. Encourages the Commission in its efforts to enhance its relations with energy suppliers and to pursue a fruitful dialogue on energy security, thus promoting energy diversification and legal and regulatory harmonisation and sustainable development through the BAKU initiative (an energy dialogue between the EU and the countries of the Black Sea, Caspian Basin and their neighbours) and the EU-Russia Energy Dialogue;

20. Recalls the important role of a functioning infrastructure for the proper development of the Black Sea region, and therefore welcomes the Commission's proposal to continue the support for regional transport cooperation, which should lead to better connections and improved roads, as well as a more efficient set-up and supervision of waterways;

21. Welcomes the development of the new Trans-Caspian - Black Sea strategic energy corridor, the planned new Russia-Greece-Italy natural gas pipeline (South Stream) and the completion of the Turkey-Greece-Italy natural gas pipeline, as well as the progressive extension of the Energy Community Treaty to Turkey, Moldova and Ukraine.

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted	20.11.2007
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	40 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Alfonso Andria, Emmanouil Angelakas, Elspeth Attwooll, Jean Marie Beaupuy, Jana Bobošíková, Wolfgang Bulfon, Antonio De Blasio, Gerardo Galeote, Iratxe García Pérez, Eugenijus Gentvilas, Ambroise Guellec, Marian Harkin, Jim Higgins, Filiz Hakaeva Hyusmenova, Mieczysław Edmund Janowski, Rumiana Jeleva, Gisela Kallenbach, Tunne Kelam, Evgeni Kirilov, Jamila Madeira, James Nicholson, Lambert van Nistelrooij, Jan Olbrycht, Markus Pieper, Bernard Poignant, Pierre Pribetich, Wojciech Roszkowski, Elisabeth Schroedter, Grażyna Staniszewska, Catherine Stihler, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Bernadette Bourzai, Den Dover, Francesco Ferrari, Ovidiu Victor Ganţ, Louis Grech, Zita Pleštinská, Christa Prets, Czesław Adam Siekierski, Nikolaos Vakalis
Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted	18.12.2007
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	50 0 1
Members present for the final vote	Roberta Alma Anastase, Christopher Beazley, Bastiaan Belder, Monika Beňová, André Brie, Elmar Brok, Colm Burke, Marco Cappato, Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos, Jas Gawronski, Maciej Marian Giertych, Alfred Gomolka, Klaus Hänsch, Richard Howitt, Anna Ibrisagic, Metin Kazak, Helmut Kuhne, Joost Lagendijk, Vytautas Landsbergis, Johannes Lebech, Francisco José Millán Mon, Pasqualina Napoletano, Janusz Onyszkiewicz, Ioan Mircea Paşcu, Alojz Peterle, João de Deus Pinheiro, Bernd Posselt, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Libor Rouček, Katrin Saks, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Marek Siwiec, István Szent-Iványi, Charles Tannock, Inese Vaidere, Geoffrey Van Orden, Kristian Vigenin, Zbigniew Zaleski, Josef Zieleniec
Substitute(s) present for the final vote	Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Irena Belohorská, Giulietto Chiesa, Andrew Duff, Árpád Duka-Zólyomi, Glyn Ford, David Hammerstein, Milan Horáček, Marie Anne Isler Béguin, Tunne Kelam, Nickolay Mladenov, Antolín Sánchez Presedo, Adrian Severin
Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote

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