RECOMMENDATION on the proposal for a Council decision on the signature and conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of a Cooperation Agreement with the Principality of Andorra

28.1.2005 - (COM(2004)0456 – C6‑0214/2004 – 2004/0136(AVC)) - ***

Committee on Foreign Affairs
Rapporteur: Gerardo Galeote Quecedo

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the proposal for a Council decision on the signature and conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of a Cooperation Agreement with the Principality of Andorra (COM(2004)0456 – C6‑0214/2004 – 2004/0136(AVC))

(Assent procedure)

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the proposal for a Council decision (COM(2004)0456)[1],

–   having regard to the draft Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and the Principality of Andorra,

–   having regard to the request for assent submitted by the Council pursuant to Article 300(3), second subparagraph, in conjunction with Article 310 of the EC Treaty (C6‑0214/2004),

–   having regard to Rules 75 and 83(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A6‑0014/2005),

1.  Gives its assent to conclusion of the agreement;

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

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The relationship between the EU and Andorra has now entered a stage of deepening. Andorra is a country already having close ties to the Union, especially through France and Spain, thanks to the existence of links of a political, social, economic, historical and emotional nature. The EU's development of closer international relations (as in the cases of enlargement and the new neighbourhood policy) provides a clear context for the agreement now submitted for the consideration of Parliament.

Both Andorra and the Union have clearly expressed their strong desire to develop closer relations, and the agreement reached on 15 November 2004 on the taxation of savings certainly marks a step forward. At this moment, however, it is not possible to exceed the terms of the Council's mandate; nonetheless, this does not exclude making further progress with the objective of a more ambitious framework for relations.

Your rapporteur favours the opening of a reflection process which could culminate in a new and substantially broader agreement that would include mutual commitments in areas such as social or economic policy.

To this end, it would be desirable for a prior social debate to be held on the Andorran side: this could lead to a basic consensus among Andorra's political parties over the ultimate goal of binding the country in with the EU.

The decision now submitted for consideration consists of a cooperation agreement which includes the establishment of cooperation in specific areas of shared interest or where joint action is required with a view to the achievement of the agreement's objectives.

In the area of the environment, what is concerned is protection, improvement and guaranteeing sustainable development in the Pyrenees. Andorra will take part in Community environment programmes involving third countries.

The second field of cooperation is that of communication, information and culture, areas in which joint actions could be adopted (e.g. cultural events or exchanges).

Other proposed areas of cooperation are education, training and youth; social questions and health; and trans-European transport, energy, and telecommunications networks.

The last area concerns cooperation in regional policy, on the basis of closer cooperation between the EU regions bordering on Andorra. Your rapporteur believes the parties should make every effort to explore this possibility.

There is provision for extension of the agreement to other areas should this be favoured by the parties. Your rapporteur calls expressly for the EP to be informed if this happens.

In addition to establishing specific areas of cooperation, the agreement creates a Cooperation Committee, to be responsible for its management and proper implementation. It should be recalled here that the second paragraph of Article 300(3) of the EC Treaty states that agreements creating a specific institutional framework require the assent of Parliament.

The parties now need to make all efforts to give practical substance to this cooperation framework and ensure that it does not remain a mere declaration of honourable intentions.

In the light of the above, your rapporteur expresses his support for the agreement, and believes that Parliament should deliver its assent as soon as possible, as requested by the Council.

PROCEDURE

Title	Proposal for a Council decision on the signature and conclusion, on behalf of the European Community, of a Cooperation Agreement with the Principality of Andorra
References	(COM(2004)0456 – C6‑0214/2004 – 2004/0136(AVC))
Legal basis	Articles 300(3), first subparagraph EC
Basis in Rules of Procedure	Rules 75 and 83(7)
Date of request for Parliament’s assent	23.11.2004
Committee responsible   Date announced in plenary	AFET 14.12.2004
Committee(s) asked for opinion(s)   Date announced in plenary	INTA 23.11.2004
Not delivering opinion(s)   Date of decision	INTA 31.8.2004
Enhanced cooperation   Date announced in plenary
Rapporteur(s)   Date appointed	Gerardo Galeote Quecedo 13.9.2004
Previous rapporteur(s)
Simplified procedure   Date of decision
Legal basis disputed   Date of JURI opinion		/
Financial endowment amended         Date of BUDG opinion		/
European Economic and Social Committee consulted         Date of decision in plenary
Committee of the Regions consulted         Date of decision in plenary
Discussed in committee	25.1.2005
Date adopted	25.1.2005
Result of final vote	for: against: abstentions:		15 0 0
Members present for the final vote	Elmar Brok, Véronique De Keyser, Richard Howitt, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Georgios Karatzaferis, Francisco José Millán Mon, Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Jacek Emil Saryusz-Wolski, István Szent-Iványi, Konrad Szymański
Substitutes present for the final vote	Jean-Luc Dehaene, Árpád Duka-Zólyomi, Gerardo Galeote Quecedo, Jaromír Kohlíček
Substitutes under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote
Date tabled – A6	28.1.2005			A6-0014/2005
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