Annexes to COM(2011)843 - Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries - Main contents
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This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2011)843 - Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries. |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2011)843  |
| date | March 11, 2014 |
THEMATIC PRIORITIES UNDER THE PARTNERSHIP INSTRUMENT: GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROGRAMMING
1. Objective set out in point (a) of Article 1(2):
Support for the Union's bilateral, regional and inter-regional cooperation partnership strategies, by promoting policy dialogue and by developing collective approaches and responses to challenges of global concern.
| — | Supporting the implementation of Partnership and Cooperation Agreements, action plans and similar bilateral instruments; |
| — | Deepening the political and economic dialogue with third countries of particular relevance in world affairs, including in foreign policy; |
| — | Supporting engagement with relevant third countries on bilateral and global issues of common concern; |
| — | Promoting an adequate follow-up or coordinated implementation of the conclusions of international fora such as the G20. |
Reinforcement of cooperation on global challenges, addressing in particular climate change, energy security and the protection of the environment.
| — | Stimulating efforts in partner countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in particular by promoting and supporting adequate regulatory and performance standards; |
| — | Boosting the greening of production and trade; |
| — | Developing energy cooperation; |
| — | Promoting renewable and sustainable energy sources. |
2. Objective set out in point (b) of Article 1(2):
Implementing the international dimension of ‘Europe 2020’, bringing together three pillars: economic, social and environmental:
| — | Enhancing policy dialogue and cooperation with relevant third countries, taking into consideration all areas within the scope of ‘Europe 2020’; |
| — | Promoting the Union's internal policies with key partner countries and supporting regulatory convergence in this regard. |
3. Objective set out in point (c) of Article 1(2):
Facilitation and support of economic and trade relations with partner countries:
| — | Promoting a secure environment for investment and business, including protection of intellectual property rights, tackling market access barriers, reinforced regulatory cooperation, and promotion of opportunities for the Union's goods and services, especially in areas in which the Union has a competitive advantage, and international standards; |
| — | Supporting the negotiation, implementation and enforcement of trade and investment agreements to which the Union is a party. |
4. Objective set out in point (d) of Article 1(2):
| — | Enhancing cooperation in higher education: enhancing student and academic staff mobility, leading to the creation of partnerships aimed at improving the quality of higher education and of joint degrees leading to academic recognition (‘Erasmus+ Programme’); |
| — | Enhancing widespread knowledge of the Union and raising its profile: promoting the Union's values and interests in partner countries through enhanced public diplomacy and outreach activities in support of the objectives of the instrument. |
Declaration by the European Commission on the strategic dialogue with the European Parliament (1)
On the basis of Article 14 TEU, the European Commission will conduct a strategic dialogue with the European Parliament prior to the programming of the Regulation (EU) No 234/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a Partnership Instrument for cooperatin with third countries and after initial consultation of its relevant beneficiaries, where appropriate. The European Commission will present to the European Parliament the relevant available documents on programming with indicative allocations foreseen per country/region, and, within a country/region, priorities, possible results and indicative allocations foreseen per priority for geographic programmes, as well as the choice of assistance modalities (2). The European Commission will present to the European Parliament the relevant available documents on programming with thematic priorities, possible results, choice of assistance modalities (2), and financial allocations for such priorities foreseen in thematic programmes. The European Commission will take into account the position expressed by the European Parliament on the matter.
The European Commission will conduct a strategic dialogue with the European Parliament in preparing the mid-term review and before any substantial revision of the programming documents during the period of validity of this Regulation.
The European Commission, if invited by the European Parliament, will explain where the European Parliament's observations have been taken into consideration in the programming documents and any other follow-up given to the strategic dialogue.
(1) The European Commission will be represented at the responsible Commissioner level
(2) Where applicable.
Statement by the European Parliament on the suspension of assistance granted under the financial instruments
The European Parliament notes that Regulation (EU) No 233/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation for the period 2014-2020, Regulation (EU) No 232/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a European Neighbourhood Instrument, Regulation (EU) No 234/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries and Regulation (EU) No 231/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing an Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II) do not contain any explicit reference to the possibility of suspending assistance in cases where a beneficiary country fails to observe the basic principles enunciated in the respective instrument and notably the principles of democracy, rule of law and the respect for human rights.
The European Parliament considers that any suspension of assistance under these instruments would modify the overall financial scheme agreed under the ordinary legislative procedure. As a co-legislator and co-branch of the budgetary authority, the European Parliament is therefore entitled to fully exercise its prerogatives in that regard, if such a decision is to be taken.