European Commission prepares a Communication on agreements to propose to Albania, Macedonia and other countries of the region - Work on Stability Pact

12/05/1999 (Agence Europe)

Next week, the European Commission should examine a Communication drawn up under the responsibility of Mr. Van den Broek on "an enhanced regional approach for the countries of South East Europe, in the context of the region's stabilisation". By this Communication, the Commission should in particular set out how it believes the Council's guidelines on the agreements to offer countries affected by the events in Kosovo should be put into practice, Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia foremost.

Mr. Van den Broek is said to be moving towards the definition of a specific arrangement, situated somewhere between "Europe Agreements" and Association Agreements. Other Commissioners are said to be more cautious, considering that the top priority should be the "political message" to send the countries of the region, and that the details of institutional arrangements are less urgent.

In this context, the European Commission took note on Tuesday of a communication drawn up under the responsibility of President Santer (with the participation of the Commissioners concerned) that turns to all the actions the Commission has undertaken and its reflections regarding the situation in the region concerned by the events in Kosovo. In particular, it refers to the preparatory work relating to the idea of a Stability Pact in South East Europe, proposed by the German Presidency of the Council and whose principle was accepted by the European Council of 14 April. This work is essentially unfolding within the Council, with the active participation of the Commission.

The Stability Pact should be set up in June at a ministerial conference (prepared by a high level meeting in Bonn on 27 May). The participants would be: EU Member States, the European Commission, the States of the region: Albania, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, United States, Russia, Canada, Japan and representatives of the United Nations NATO, the Council of Europe, international financial organisations (IMF, World Bank, EIB, EBRD) and regional organisations and initiatives. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia would participate as soon as it met the necessary conditions.

The aim of the Pact will be to set up mechanisms that would actively contribute to the region's democratic and economic stabilisation.