Regional Table Chairman's Conclusions
Tirana, 05 December 2003
The
Regional Table of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
met under the chairmanship of Special Co-ordinator Erhard Busek
on 05 December in Tirana. The
year 2003 has seen progress in South Eastern Europe (SEE) including
enhanced regional co-operation and further integration of the
region into European and Euro-Atlantic structures. Nevertheless,
the region continues to face severe economic difficulties exacerbated
by high unemployment and lack of investment. Thus, ensuring sustainable
economic development is vital for continued progress in SEE. Stimulating
such economic growth, including attracting investment, requires
improvements in the macro and micro-economic environment as well
as in the overall rule of law, in particular fighting organised
crime and corruption. Participants agreed that important steps
have been made in this direction, but emphasised that consolidated
and concerted efforts should be intensified. The
Regional Table welcomed the results of the Thessaloniki EU-Western
Balkans Summit, which set a joint agenda on the way to European
integration, and reiterated its willingness to ensure continued
complementarity of Stability Pact activities to the Accession
and the Stabilisation and Association Processes (SAP) of the EU
where applicable. The Stability Pact will continue to facilitate
regional cooperation in SEE in general as well as in those areas
particularly called for in the Thessaloniki Agenda. It stands
ready to explore, in close cooperation with the European Commission,
proposals to develop more fully the regional co-operation element
of the SAP. In
May 2004, five Stability Pact participants will become EU member
states. This will give additional importance to these Central
European countries. The Table commended the initiative of the
Special Co-ordinator to increase and channel the involvement of
the incoming EU members in SEE on specific elements of the Transformation
Experience in order to enhance assistance to the region. Enlargement
will also significantly change the European context for the SEE
countries, and in turn the environment in which the Stability
Pact will operate. In this context, the Regional Table welcomed
the European Neighbourhood policy and instruments of the European
Union as a useful complementary approach for those countries not
addressed by the ongoing Accession and Stabilisation and Association
processes and an important tool to promote cross-border cooperation
with South Eastern Europe. Considering the trans-regional implications
of issues such as organised crime, the Regional Table highlighted
the need for coordination with the European Neighbourhood policy.
The
Regional Table commended the public apologies expressed by the
President of Serbia and Montenegro for crimes committed in Bosnia
and Herzegovina and the initiative of the Presidents of Croatia
and Serbia and Montenegro to apologise for past wrongs as a sign
of the improving situation in South Eastern Europe and indicative
of a growing acceptance that good-neighbourly relations and regional
cooperation are a necessity for further development of the region.
Participants
noted the recent establishment of regional offices of several
Stability Pact initiatives and commended this sign of enhanced
regional ownership of activities within the Stability Pact while
stressing the added responsibility that comes with such ownership.
The Table also commended the regional ownership expressed through
the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), the voice
of the region, and called for continued close cooperation between
the Stability Pact and the SEECP. Participants
highlighted the Stability Pact's function as a framework for coordination
among international actors of their support towards the region
and its contribution to the transatlantic partnership with regard
to South Eastern Europe. They also welcomed the continued efforts
of the Special Co-ordinator to bolster cooperation with regional
initiatives and organisations in and around South Eastern Europe.
The
Regional Table welcomed the Annual Report on Stability Pact activities.
It reviewed the conclusions from the Working Table meetings and
the progress made in the Pact's activities. Participants appraised
the efforts undertaken in the six core objectives and the overriding
security area. It also considered how best to overcome obstacles
in implementation. For each Working Table, participants highlighted
the following points:
- Working
Table I (Democracy and Human Rights) will continue
to promote the democratisation process in SEE, with emphasis
on protection of human and minority rights, an underlying
theme of the Stability Pact overall. The role of women in
decision-making and political processes on both national and
local levels will continue to be supported. Decentralisation
and strengthening the capacities of local authorities will
be fostered in 2004. Cross-border cooperation such as border
security, visa regimes, trafficking and economic development
are cross-table issues, requiring close cooperation and
coordination. This is also true for parliamentary cooperation,
which is growing in importance. Further development of the
media environment towards European standards will continue
to be a core objective. Education is a crucial component of
the development of the region, universal access to education
for future generations thus being of the utmost importance.
- Working
Table II (Economic Reconstruction, Development and Cooperation)
reported the improvement that is perceived in the
economic situation and the business climate in SEE. A window
of opportunity has been created by the global recovery and
the increase of foreign direct investment, but risks being
squandered if the reform process does not accelerate. It is
crucial for the future to promote more greenfield investment;
also flows of foreign direct investment are spread unevenly
in the region and appeared linked to the consistency of the
countries in implementing reforms. To sustain the momentum,
the Stability Pact must make its various instruments converge
even more than in the past. More reliable energy supply, better
transport connections, the promotion of entrepreneurship and
start ups, support to small and medium enterprises to enhance
their competitiveness, the removal of the remaining obstacles
to regional trade, improved regulatory governance, development
of the information society, improved employment policies,
better vocational training and capacity building of the national
employment agencies were all seen as crucial ingredients to
secure sustainable economic growth and achieve the overarching
objective of creating jobs. In this connection, the Working
Table welcomed the political impetus provided by several important
ministerial meetings, including the Venice Meeting on Reconstruction
in the Balkans and the. Ministerial Meeting, which adopted
the Bucharest Declaration on Improving Employment in SEE.
- Working
Table III (Security Issues) concluded that Stability
Pact initiatives related to defence and security issues such
as retraining of released personnel and defence conversion
had been very successful in some SEE countries. Cooperation
on a regional level should be enhanced and lessons learned
made available to interested partners. A regional meeting
to take stock of such progress and to identify areas for cooperation
should be considered. The need for measures to cushion the
social consequences of reductions of armed forces was emphasised.
While important efforts in the direction have been made, parliamentary
control of armed forces remain a key issue. The fight against
organised crime and corruption requires a concerted effort
by all partners, with an increased emphasis on practical measures.
The countries of the region should take the lead in launching
a joint campaign in this direction. Strengthening border management
and security as promoted by the Ohrid Process, is of greatest
importance in this respect. Regarding managing and stabilising
of population movements, the countries of SEE are moving in
the direction of establishing a regional forum for dialogue
on migration, asylum and refugees. The Working Table agreed
that the search for sustainable solutions should take its
strategic perspective from the notion of citizenship and the
universal access to rights.
Based
on the review of Stability Pact activities in 2003, the Regional
Table agreed to continue focusing the work of the Stability Pact
on six Core Objectives:
- Local
Democracy and Cross Border Cooperation,
- Media,
- Trade
and Investment,
- Energy
and other Regional Infrastructure,
- Fighting
Organised Crime and
- Managing
and Stabilising Population Movements.
The
Table endorsed the proposed set of Achievables for 2004 within
the six Core Objectives (Annex). Security
and Defence related issues will also remain a core area of activity
of the Stability Pact as agreed in the Sarajevo Summit declaration.
Furthermore, participants underlined the facilitating role of
the Stability Pact in enhancing parliamentary cooperation, an
area of growing importance in the course of the reform processes
in SEE. Moreover, the important dimension of social cohesion was
highlighted particularly regarding enhanced employment generation
opportunities as well as gender mainstreaming and deepening
sub-regional cooperation. The Table requested the Special Co-ordinator
to continue to foster the integration of Kosovo into regional
activities through enhanced cross border/boundary cooperation
in full compliance with UNSC Res. 1244 and welcomed progress in
involving Kosovo in practical Stability Pact activities, based
on its inclusive regional and multilateral participation. The
Regional Table acknowledged the successful efforts of the Special
Coordinator to streamline the operation of the Stability Pact
as agreed by the Regional Table in Thessaloniki in December 2002.
Back-to-back Working Table meetings together with the Regional
Table have enhanced effectiveness and cross-table exchange. Participants
agreed that the bi-annual sessions of Regional Table and Working
Tables should focus on the activities of the Working Tables during
the summer sessions, assessing mid-year progress. The end-of-year
sessions, on the other hand, should focus on the Regional Table,
taking stock of the year and giving political guidance for future
activities. The Table noted the close, constructive cooperation
between the Italian Presidency and the Stability Pact in furthering
the implementation of the Thessaloniki Agenda. It welcomed Ireland's
affirmation of its intention to maintain this momentum during
its upcoming EU Presidency. The Regional Table thanked all Working
Table Chairs for their valuable input during the past year. Participants
confirmed the appointment of Ambassador Janez Premoze as Chair
of the Working Table (III) on Security Issues and thanked Ambassador
Vladimir Drobnjak for his outstanding and dedicated contribution
in this capacity. Participants expressed their gratitude to the
Albanian hosts for the meeting and agreed to hold the next Regional
Table in June 2004 in Ljubljana. ANNEX
Core Objectives of the Stability Pact and respective Achievables
for 2004 Local Democracy and Cross-Border Cooperation Systematic
co-operation of local actors (governmental, civic, and business)
across national borders to underpin regional co-operation in SEE,
with a view to enhancing economic convergence, social cohesion
and reconciliation, as well as local democracy and stability.
- Support,
together with key partners, the decentralization and local
governance reform process in SEE, including fiscal decentralization
and transparency.
- Provide
political support for the development and implementation of
concrete local and regional cross-border activities relating
to trade, economic development, cultural and social programs,
and for addressing key political obstacles to cross-border
cooperation, i.a. questions of non-Schengen visa and transit
issues.
- Provide
a forum for creating partnerships among interested donors
and for information exchange with implementing partners.
- Together
with the SEECP and Council of Europe, organize a ministerial
meeting aiming at the adoption of a political agreement to
further the development of cross-border and inter-territorial
cooperation between local communities in SEE. The agreement
could for example take the form of an MoU and endorse the
goals of the European Outline Convention on Trans-frontier
Cooperation between Territorial Communities or Authorities
and its Protocols.
- Promote
capacity building of local actors such as associations of
local authorities, through e.g. education and training programmes,
partnerships, and transfer of transformation experience from
the incoming Central European EU member states, at both local
and national levels of government.
Media
Enhance
the position of independent media and standards of journalism
in South Eastern Europe, through legislative reform, production
of quality programmes and increased strength of local institutions
for journalism training. Broadly composed Media Working Groups
in all SEE countries ensure full involvement of local actors and
coverage of regionally felt needs.
- Support
local capacity building by facilitating the production of
television programs on issues of social relevance to be broadcast
throughout SEE;
- Adoption
and implementation of reformed broadcast legislation in one
remaining country;
- Amend
defamation laws in two countries;
- Monitor
and support implementation of relevant media legislation promoted
by the SP to date.
Energy
and other Regional Infrastructure Ensure
that both the countries of the region and the international community
take a regional strategic approach to infrastructure development
based on co-financing and institutionalised partnerships including
transport (roads, rail, air), energy and telecommunications, with
a view to prioritising capital investment in order to benefit
from economies of scale.
- Fostering
political consensus for implementation of the expanded MoU
including the gas sector and transformation of relevant parts
of the MoU into a legally binding international agreement
on-going participation in Athens Forum and in particular
organisation of meetings of high level advisers to prime ministers
of signatory countries.
- Ensuring
complementarity between the creation of a regional energy
market and donor activities to foster generation and transmission
of energy, as foreseen in the Regional Investment Plan of
the MoU.
- Ensuring
private sector interest and involvement through the organisation
of industry promotion events, e.g. round tables, with participation
of companies from all interested Stability Pact partners.
- Removal
of bottlenecks on project implementation through the organisation,
on request, of “facilitation” meetings between countries and
International Financial Institutions (IFI) and donors concerned
regarding particular problems and monitoring of follow-up.
- Facilitation
of Private Public Partnerships (PPP) - preparation of concept
paper and establishment of informal technical working group
on a regional approach to improving environment for PPPs.
- Active
participation in the Infrastructure Steering Group.
Trade
and Investment To
foster a business climate conducive to investment, trade and employment,
through the implementation of the free trade agreements (FTA)
and the use of monitoring processes such as the critical time
bound targets of the Investment Compact, thereby fostering capital
and know-how transfer and thus the basis for sustainable economic
development in South Eastern Europe
- Ensure
entry into force of all FTAs and that steps are taken to ensure
full conformity with MoU (review report on SP Trade Working
Group action plan to be presented mid 2004)
- Further
trade liberalisation through reduction and elimination of
non-tariff barriers (NTB).
- Facilitate
development of a free trade area in SEE including approval
of SP Trade WG recommendations at 2004 Trade Ministerial Meeting,
as called for in the Thessaloniki Agenda.
- On-going
identification and implementation of investment oriented reforms
(publication of regular progress reports)
- Intensify
structured feedback from private sector to Government - ensure
regular dialogue via Business Advisory Council and Foreign
Investor Council meetings.
- Increase
awareness of employment generation contribution of Foreign
Direct Investment
- Promote
business opportunities in SEE - organisation of and/or participation
in appropriate promotional and institution development events.
Fighting
organised crime As
highlighted at the London Conference on Organised Crime in SEE
and the recent EU-Western Balkans JHA Ministerial, organised crime
undermines the political and economic development prospects of
the countries of SEE. Fighting organised crime is thus essential
for the development of the region and requires sound judicial
systems and efficient law enforcement institutions. The activities
of the SP, in particular the SPOC Secretariat, the newly established
SPAI Regional Office and the Human Trafficking Task Force, are
aimed at capacity building, improving the legal framework and
cross-border cooperation with the focus on prevention, protection
and prosecution.
- Stimulate
and monitor closely the implementation of the Palermo UN Convention
against Transnational Organised Crime, in particular through
the creation of witness protection mechanisms.
- Continue
facilitation of dialogue between the Regional Transborder
Crime Fighting Center and other law enforcement agencies,
particularly EUROPOL with the aim to increase formal operational
exchanges on organised crime investigations. SP will continue
to call upon EU member states to second advisors to the Regional
Transborder Crime Fighting Center.
- Support
the sharing of cross-border crime-related transformation experience
from incoming Central European EU member states to the region.
- Reinforce
the support to sustainable national and regional anti-trafficking
policies to address trafficking in human beings, including
co-operation with the UNODC within the framework of the Global
Programme against Trafficking in Human Beings.
- Assist
all the SEE countries in their efforts to draft and implement
National Action Plans and appropriate legislation to fight
corruption through, i.a. training programmes for the judiciary
and law enforcement in this respect and promote co-operation
with UNODC within the framework of the Global Programme against
Corruption.
Managing
and stabilising population movements Encouraged
by the support received at the Thessaloniki Summit, the Migration
Asylum Refugee Return Initiative (MARRI) aims to adapt the strategies
to handle population movements in the region in a more comprehensive
manner to make ethnic inclusion sustainable, with a perspective
to rendering national action more effective in the areas of asylum,
legal and illegal migration as well as border management.
- Facilitate
the realisation of sustainable solutions for at least 50,000
refugees and Displaced Persons.
- Further
development of a regional approach to non-discriminatory access
to rights and citizenship;
- Establishment
of a Regional Forum on Migration, Asylum, Visa, Border Management
and refugee issues with regular meetings on political and
expert level in cooperation with the European Commission and
other partners.
- Gradual
Transfer of MARRI support structures to the region by the
end of 2004.
- Expansion
of the information exchange project and extension of its scope
of work in support of other MARRI activities.
- Development
of a regional housing action plan and facilitation of a second
high level housing conference.
- Continued
support for the implementation of National Action Plans (NAP)
in the areas of asylum, migration, border management and visa
policies.
- Continued
close coordination and complementarity of MARRI activities
with the SAP.
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