EU-Rusland bijeenkomst in Helsinki op 24 november (en)

donderdag 23 november 2006

Commission President José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Council and Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, Javier Solana High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, will meet Russian President Putin for the EU-Russia Summit in Helsinki on 24 November 2006. Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner; Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, and Russian Government Ministers including Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and German Gref, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, will also attend. The main topics on the agenda will be discussions of preparatory work underway for greater economic integration of Russia and the EU, Energy, progress in the implementation of the Common Spaces Road Maps, international issues including the Middle East, Iran, North Korea, Western Balkans, Belarus and South Caucasus, and a new framework for the Northern Dimension policy. In the margins of the summit Commission Vice President Barrot will meet Russian Minister of Transport Levitin with the aim of reaching agreement on progressive abolition of payments for Siberian overflights.

President Barroso i said on the eve of the summit: "EU Relations with Russia continue to grow. Progress is being made in the implementation of the Common Space Road Map and with Russia's WTO accession now a realistic perspective for 2007, we have the chance to unlock new opportunities to the benefit of both sides. Deep and comprehensive economic integration between the EU and Russia will allow us to fully exploit the potential of our partnership".

He added "It is more important than ever before that the EU and Russia have a clear and common understanding of their mutual interests in the field of energy. Europe gains from Russian exports - and Russia's economic growth owes a great deal to the stable and reliable flow of revenue from European customers. Our interests are interlinked and deeper co-operation, based on transparent principles, would be of benefit to both sides."

The Summit will

  • Take stock of preparations for a new EU-Russia agreement to replace the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement which has been in force for the last ten years.
  • Take forward work preparing for deep and comprehensive economic integration between the EU and Russia,
  • Discuss how best to integrate energy issues into the future Partnership and Co-operation Agreement, building on the principles of the Energy Charter Treaty and the G8 St Petersburg Energy Security Statement.
  • Assess progress made on the implementation of the Common Spaces Road Maps.
  • Discuss international issues, including Georgia. The EU has repeatedly urged a de-escalation of tension between Moscow and Tbilisi including the lifting by Russia of measures against Georgia and re-establishing a dialogue with Tbilisi.

In the margins of the summit a meeting of the EU-Russia Industrialists Round Table will take place (with Vice President Günter Verheugen and Russian Minister of Industry Viktor Kristenko) and the Business Cooperation Council will meet the summit leaders.

Together with the leaders of Norway and Iceland the summit participants will adopt a new framework for the Northern Dimension policy. See IP/06/1616 please

Background

The four Common Space Road Maps agreed in May 2005 set out the current work programme for developing EU-Russia relations.

The Common Economic Space includes co-operation on a wide range of issues from agriculture to space technology. A recent agreement on fisheries and marine conservation in the Baltic Sea, concluded in July, is a positive step forward setting out provisions on joint management measures, licensing, compliance with conservation and other fisheries regulations, control and enforcement co-operation, inspections, arrest and detention of vessels, and scientific co-operation.

In the Common Space of Freedom, Security and Justice, a new visa facilitation agreement will facilitate the issuing of visas for EU and Russian citizens.

In the Common Space of External Security, there is ongoing operational cooperation with Russia on the Middle East through the Quartet and on Iran through the E3/EU (France, Germany, UK, with the support of the High Representative of the European Union).

In the Common Space on Research, Education and Culture, a new, jointly financed, European Studies Institute has just been opened in Moscow, and a major European art exhibition is being staged at the Tretyakov Gallery in early 2007.

The issue of Siberian overflight has been a longstanding issue in EU-Russia relations on which an agreement is of major importance to EU Member States. EU carriers are currently obliged to pay $300 million to the Russian company Aeroflot to obtain the right to fly over the territory of Russia to reach Asian destinations.

For more information:

The EU's relations with Russia:

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/russia/intro/index.htm

The Northern Dimension:

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/external_relations/north_dim/index.htm)