ICE, 18 giugno 2013 Politica di allargamento e strumenti di cooperazione della UE con i Balcani Occidentali Michele Amedeo European Commission DG Enlargement
Why still enlarging? Peace & freedom Prosperity Economic growth and solidarity Strengthening democracy countries emerging from conflict or dictatorship The most successful of EU policies? Transformative power "Enlargement fatigue": is there a dilemma between enlargement and EU stability? Deepening and enlarging can go in parallel Enlargement an opportunity for the EU not a "problem" Other relationship models: not all European countries must join
How to get in: conditions for membership Copenhagen criteria (1993) Political Stable democratic institutions Human rights, protection of minorities Rule of law Economic Functioning market economy Capacity to cope with competitive forces in EU Ability to take on obligations of membership Different focus from Eastern Europe to Western Balkans: now rule of law
Steps from potential candidate to member 1. Potential candidate: concludes association agreement; submits application 2. Commission opinion Council decides on candidate status 3. Commission opinion Council decides on accession negotiations 4. Closing of negotiations and EU Accession Continuous monitoring of progress: Annual Progress Reports issued by the Commission Council decides in every step at unanimity
The current enlargement agenda Croatia: acceding on 1 July 2013 Montenegro: accession negotiations ongoing Serbia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: candidate countries Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo: potential candidates
Croatia Joining on 1 July 2013 Negotiations were opened in 2005 and were concluded in June 2011. It received candidate status in 2004
Montenegro Accession negotiation opened in June 2012 Screening process to end summer 2013 Needs to further develop a track record: rule of law fight against organised crime corruption
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Focus to be maintained on: rule of law and functioning of institutions inter-ethnic relations & reconciliation Freedom of media Candidate status since 2005 - European Commission recommended four times since 2009 to open accession negotiations Unresolved name issue and complicated relations with Greece and Bulgaria
Serbia Candidate status - March 2012 On its way to sufficiently fulfilling the political criteria conditions Momentum of reforms to be re-invigorated Agreement reached on northern Kosovo now focus on implementation Council decides in June 2013 on opening of accession negotiations
Albania Good progress on political criteria improved dialogue between government and opposition Crucial June 2013 elections Substantial reforms delivered European Commission recommends status of candidate country conditionality Remaining key priorities rule of law & fundamental rights
Bosnia and Herzegovina Limited progress - political criteria + institutional structures Need of effective coordination mechanism various levels of government Enhanced presence of the EU; strengthened support for BiH's institutions
Kosovo Stabilisation & Association Agreement can be concluded Agreement reached with Serbia on the north Status problem: 22 member states recognise its independence, 5 do not Low levels of economic development
Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) An integrated pre-accession instrument to assist all enlargement countries Financial envelope (2007 13): 11.5 billion (current prices) Priorità di intervento: Giustizia, stato di diritto, corruzione Amministrazione pubblica Impiego e integrazione sociale Settore privato e competitività Trasporti, Ambiente e Energia Agricoltura
IPA allocations 2013 in the Western Balkans (million ) Croatia 94 Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 113 Montenegro 35 Serbia 208 Albania 95 Bosnia and Herzegovina 109 Kosovo 71 Multi-country and cross-border cooperation 177 Support activities 53
IPA Management mechanisms Actors National IPA Coordinator European Integration Office Line Ministries EU Delegation Annual National Programmes Prepared by the national authorities and approved by the Commission Include in annex "fiches" describing projects or actions Multi-country Programmes are prepared by the Commission Projects/actions Tendered once the Programmes are adopted Contracts signed by the EU Delegations in direct management Contracts signed by the beneficiary country in case of indirect management
IPA - Indirect management When the beneficiary institutions are fit for managing EU funds Implies that the contracting authority is transferred from the EU Delegation to the local Administration Currently in place for Croatia, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Not yet but possibly soon for: Serbia, Albania, Montenegro Not any time soon for: Bosnia, Kosovo
IPA - Twinnings EU Member States experts are put at the disposal of the Serbian Administration Twinnings facilitate the transposition of the acquis communautaire and are all the more useful the closer the country is to EU accession Beneficiary countries receive some 5-10 twinnings per year Planned twinnings are indicated in the project fiches attached to the National Programmes
IPA II (2014-2020) Reinforced link between financial assistance and policy agenda Stronger ownership by the beneficiaries Contribution to the objectives of EU 2020 Agenda Country Strategy Papers covering the entire period are to be adopted in early 2014 Core themes: good governance and capacity building Increased focus to priority sectors and policy reforms Country allocations to remain stable A performance reward to be introduced, allowing for increased allocations to performing countries Multiannual programmes to be introduced
IPA Example Serbia Programme 2012 Amount of EU contribution :172 M Contracting possible till end 2015 Sectors of support: Justice and Home Affairs (19%) - Public Administration Reform (9%) - Social Development (14%) - Private Sector Development (4%) - Environment, Climate Change and Energy (33%) - Agriculture and Rural Development (9%) - Other EU acquis and horizontal activities (12%) 14 projects to be financed covering the above sectors, e.g.: Support to the rule of law (13 M) including for example services for improving judicial efficiency Support to environmental protection (55 M) including for example three work contracts for waste management infrastructure Support to SMEs (6 M) including for example services for improving e- business environment
IPA - Come trovare le informazioni? Le strategie di cooperazione ed i programmi, una volta approvati sono pubblici (ec.europa.eu/enlargement) : Multi-Annual Indicative Planning Document (MIPD) 2011-2013 National Programmes Project fiches Le project fiches annesse ai National Programmes contengono dettagli su quali gare, twinning e call for proposals saranno lanciati Tempistica sulla pubblicazione delle gare difficile da controllare in generale lanciate nell anno che segue l approvazione del programma
Not only IPA - Other EU Instruments Connecting Europe Facility Trans-European Networks for Transport, Energy, and Telecoms For the next Financial Perspective (post 2013). It will also intervene outside the EU Internal Security and Migration funds (DG HOME) Open for non-eu countries after 2013 Horizon 2020 (Research framework programme) Collaboration between research institutes and universities. The programme is already open to the Western Balkans Competitiveness Programme for SMEs (COSME) Already open to the Western Balkans (under current name CIP) Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF): Combination of IPA funds with loans from International Financing Institutions Cooperazione Italiana Regioni
Accesso fondi Ue quali barriere? Informazione Non completa - Di difficile lettura - Dispersa Procedure Spesso complesse - Poca dimestichezza nella preparazione delle gare Cifra d affari troppo bassa o mancanza d esperienza necessità di formare consorzi Barriere linguistiche Mancanza di assistenza di sistema Nel cercare e selezionare l informazione Nel preparare la gara Bisogno pubblico VS opportunità per impresa
Gara europea, per chi? Conoscenza del contesto geografico e delle procedure UE Imprese di solito di taglia media Imprese troppo piccole hanno il problema del volume d affari Grandi imprese non ne hanno bisogno, seguono canali istituzionali diretti Balcani nuova frontiera o necessità di sopravvivenza? Grossi investitori italiani : Fiat, Benetton, Intesa San Paolo, Generali, Fondiaria Serbia: salario medio 500 eur, disoccupazione 22%, crescita media 4,5%/anno negli ultimi dieci anni
Investment opportunities in the WB Countries like Croatia, and Serbia have an established industrial sector Serbia lies in a strategic position for pan-european infrastructure networks Strong trade and cultural links with Italy in the whole of the Western Balkans Proximity with Italy Low wages Perspective of becoming EU Member for the Western Balkans is certain Difficulties: Red tape and business environment Corruption Functioning of the public administration Growth is moderate (esp. compared to Turkey, East Asia, Africa)
Stay connected ec.europa.eu/enlargement facebook.com/euenlargement @EU_enlargement