Toespraak Ferrero-Waldner over Top EU-Rusland (en)

SPEECH/06/758

Benita Ferrero-Waldner

European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy

Statement on EU-Russia Summit

European Parliament Plenary

Brussels, 29 November 2006

Mr President, Honourable Members,

I am most grateful for this opportunity to report on the EU-Russia Summit which took place on 24 November in Helsinki and to add to what my distinguished colleague from Finland has just said. This was the third EU meeting with President Putin this year, following on from the Sochi summit in May and the dinner at the informal EU summit in Lahti. It gave us a good opportunity to review the wide range of EU/Russia relations.

I am pleased to report that at the summit Vice-President Barrot and Minister Levitin were able to sign a Protocol marking agreement on the progressive abolition of Siberian overflight charges by 2014. This is an important achievement bringing an end to a persistent irritant in EU/Russia relations. It was also one of the EU’s conditions for Russia’s WTO accession. I warmly welcome it.

We had a good discussion on closer economic integration, first with EU and Russian business leaders, who delivered a message of strong support for the benefits which this would bring to the business communities on both sides. Then at the summit there was a consensus that we should carry forward work on the subject over the coming months. Our vision is the creation of one common economic space with essentially the same rules providing for fair trade.

On energy President Putin confirmed that the Energy Charter Treaty would not be ratified as it stands, but expressed readiness to come to a deal which respected the interests of both sides and included the principles of the ECT. He called for reciprocity, including access for Russian capital to key strategic industries in the EU.

It is unfortunate that it was not possible to announce the opening of negotiations for a new strategic agreement: however we work together with the Presidency and with Russia and Poland so that we may be able to do so shortly. President Barroso made clear that, after the inspection carried out by officials of the Food and Veterinary Office, we consider that the ban on certain Polish exports is unjustified and he pressed President Putin strongly to lift it and in any case to agree to tripartite talks between Poland, Russia and the Commission to settle the issue. President Putin said that the issue was not Polish meat as such but the transit of meat from other countries through Poland to Russia. Finally, as far as the new Agreement is concerned, it was reconfirmed that there will be no legal vacuum when the current Agreement reaches the end of its initial 10-year period.

Another issue of importance concerns the long queues of vehicles waiting to enter Russia at EU borders and it was agreed that this requires urgent attention. We all noted that the problem is caused by a positive development, namely the increase in trade between the EU and Russia, which is increasing at about 10 per cent per annum over recent years. But infrastructure is at maximum capacity and Russian procedures are cumbersome. President Putin said that some administrative simplification would be introduced on the Russian side by new legislation. For its part the Commission will be making proposals shortly to address some of the customs issues.

There was a generally positive assessment of cooperation on Freedom, Security and Justice and the Russian side said that the Agreements on Visa Facilitation and Readmission would be sent for ratification soon.

Russia raised its concerns on Kaliningrad borders, including the future of the Lithuanian scheme for cost-free visas, aluminium export duties and the treatment of minorities in Latvia and Estonia. We made clear that these issues have either been already resolved, or, in the case of visas for Kaliningrad visitors to Lithuania, can be addressed.

On external security the EU pressed for more cooperation in the common neighbourhood while Russia emphasised non-proliferation and disarmament. President Barroso outlined progress on meeting the Kananaskis commitments. It was agreed to try to pursue new ways to cooperate on crisis management.

The EU raised concerns on the human rights situation in Russia notably the killing of Anna Politkovskaya; President Barroso indicated that the perceived lack of due process caused concerns in the EU. As requested by the President of the European Parliament and other honourable Members he also raised the case of Mikhail Khodorkovskiy. President Putin defended the situation in Russia.

I will not repeat the comments made by the Presidency on foreign policy issues other than to note the importance we attach to cooperating at the UN on Iran; to promote the six-party talks on North Korea; and to work with Russia on the Middle East through the Quartet. We also need to work intensively to reduce our differences on Georgia and on Kosovo.

Leaders were finally joined by the Prime Ministers of Norway and Iceland for the Northern Dimension Summit which adopted the basic documents for the new policy with its emphasis on common ownership by the partners.