Ready for a Breakthrough: Elements for a European Union Strategy Towards the Black Sea Region

Abstract

Noting the growing strategic importance of the wider Black Sea area and specific European Union (EU) interests, this article reviews the recent developments within and around the region and the existing EU policy instruments. The emergent Black Sea identity is illustrated by the growth and institutional maturity of regional cooperative arrangements, in particular the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), which warrant a more structured approach on the part of the EU. It is further argued that there are already practical instances of constructive EU involvement in, and interaction with, Black Sea regional structures. These are indicatively grouped in seven thematic clusters: security and stability; energy; transport; environment and sustainable development; science and technology; justice and home affairs; democratic institutions and good governance. The authors conclude that, based on the current EU experience and practice of regional engagement, the time has come for a real breakthrough by developing a coherent Black Sea dimension of EU’s regional policies.

Notes

[1] For the purpose of this study, the Black Sea region comprises the membership of the BSEC, founded in 1992 as a regional initiative and formally established as a full‐fledged regional organization (Charter signed in 1998, entered into force 1999): Republic of Albania, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bulgaria, Georgia, Hellenic Republic, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia and Montenegro (joined 2004), Republic of Turkey, Ukraine.

[2] Statement by BSEC Secretary General, OSCE Ministerial, December 2004.

[3] The December 2001 Tacis Regional Cooperation Strategy Paper, outlining EU assistance policy for the period 2002–2006, lists energy and transport infrastructure networks, environment, and justice and home affairs as priority areas for regional cooperation. The May 2004 ENP Strategy Paper lists four priority areas for regional cooperation on the Eastern border: strengthened cooperation on ‘economy, business, employment and social policy, trade and infrastructure’; environment, nuclear safety and natural resources; justice and home affairs; and people‐to‐people issues

[4] Anticipating that new facility, the European Commission launched on 8 December 2005, the Network of Eastern External Border Regions (NEEBOR) to encourage cross‐boundary cooperation among 40 sub‐national entities involving, on the EU side, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, the Baltic States, Romania, and Greece (see the special issue on Enlargement, 28 December 2005 〈http://www.EurActiv.com〉).

[5] First suggested by Polish Foreign Minister W. Cimoszewicz in a speech at the inaugural forum ‘Together – on the Future of Europe’, Warsaw, 18 February 2002.

[6] By early 2006, the BSEC had 15 permanent Working Groups with sectoral responsibilities in agriculture and agro‐industry; cooperation on combating crime; education; emergency assistance, energy (plus an ad‐hoc working group on interconnection of electrical networks); environmental protection; exchange of statistical data and economic information; health care and pharmaceuticals; information and communication technologies; institutional renewal and good governance; science and technology; small and medium enterprises; tourism; trade and economic development; and transport.

[7] E.g., only in the course of 2005 and the first part of 2006 were ministerial‐level conferences held in such fields as energy, transport, interior and public order, justice and public administration, education, science and technology, tourism and the environment.

[8] The observers are France, Germany and Italy among the ‘old’ EU Member States; the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia among the ‘new’ EU Member States; and Croatia, Belarus, Israel, Tunisia and the United States.

[9] For a critique of BSEC’s performance in the economic sphere, see Manoli (2005).

[10] Stability Pact, EU’s Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP) and its financial instrument (CARDS), Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI), South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), South Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM), Multilateral Peace Force South East Europe (MPFSEE).

[11] For a more detailed presentation of the rationale for closer EU‐BSEC interaction, with specific recommendations for further action, see Celac, ‘Une nouvelle dimension’ (2005).

[12] It was initially known as the ‘New Neighbours Initiative’, changing in 2003 to the ‘Wider Europe Initiative’, and in 2004 to the current ‘European Neighbourhood Policy’.

[13] Originally only Moldova and Ukraine, now also the three South Caucasus states and (partially) Russia.

[14] Even though Russia is one of the ‘partners having Partnership and Co‐operation Agreements or Association Agreements in force’, the stated rationale for negotiating ENP Action Plans, Russia is not among the seven partners with which Action Plans have been negotiated.

[15] For a critical analysis of the limits of the EU’s bilateral approach, with specific reference to the Black Sea region, see Tassinari (2005).

[16] BSEC, Agreement, October 1998 (including its two Additional Protocols on the establishment of a network of liaison officers, signed in Kyiv on 15 March 2002, and on measures to combat international terrorism, signed in Athens on 3 December 2004), and BSEC, Agreement, April 1998.

[17] All CIS states less Russia, 3 EU states (Greece, Latvia, Slovakia), 3 EU candidates (Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey) and 4 Balkan states (Albania, Croatia, Serbia‐Montenegro, and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).

[18] The total volume of crude and oil products transiting the Straits grew from 117 million tonnes per annum (mta) in 2002 to 145 mta in 2003, and is likely to reach a peak of around 190 mta in 2009, whereas it was previously expected, according to CERA projections, to peak at around 158 mta in 2010 (see Roberts, ‘Black Sea Energy’, The Turkish Gate).

[19] Odessa‐Brody‐Plotsk, Constantza‐Omisalji‐Triest, Bourgas‐Alexandroupolis, Bourgas‐Vlore.

[20] The Traceca programme includes 14 countries: five Central Asian states, three countries of the South Caucasus, Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Mongolia. All except Mongolia and Turkmenistan are signatories of the Traceca Multilateral Agreement.

[21] This includes 17 countries of the ENP and Russia, the EU candidates, Western Balkans and Switzerland.

[22] For a sub‐regional and country‐by‐country survey, see Emerson et al. (2005).