EURONEST PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLÉE PARLEMENTAIRE EURONEST PARLAMENTARISCHE VERSAMMLUNG EURONEST ПАРЛАМЕНТСКАЯ AССАМБЛЕЯ ЕВРОНЕСТ Committee on Economic Integration, Legal Approximation and Convergence with EU Policies NEST_PV(2014)-01-22 MINUTES of the meeting of 22 January 2014, 14.30-17.30 Brussels The meeting was opened on 22 January 2014 at 14h45 with Mr Goran FÄRM (European Parliament) and Mr Veaceslav IONITA (Moldova) as Co-Chairs presiding. Mr FÄRM informed Members of the interpretation arrangements and of the way the meeting would be structured, with Mr FÄRM chairing items 1, 2, 3 and 4 and Mr IONITA chairing items 5, 6, 7 and 8. The Co-Chair announced that a first exchange of views on the draft report on Infrastructural cooperation between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries would take place. In relation to this, he referred to an exchange of letters with the Parliament of Azerbaijan, which had expressed concerns regarding the late distribution of the draft report. The Co-Chair ensured members that enough time would be available for drafting amendments as a second discussion was foreseen at the next committee meeting in the autumn. 1. Adoption of draft agenda The draft agenda was adopted without changes. 2. Approval of the minutes of the meeting of the Euronest Committee on Economic Integration, Legal Approximation and Convergence with EU policies held on 27 May 2013 in Brussels (Belgium) The draft minutes were adopted without changes. 3. Exchange of views on transport policy of the European Union towards Eastern Partnership countries (in the presence of the European Commission) Ms Isabelle ALBERTONE (European Commission, DG MOVE) provided some elements of overall context and made reference to the communication adopted by the EC in July 2011- "The EU and its neighbourhood regions: a renewed approach to transport cooperation" - which serves as a basis for the cooperation with eastern partners. Ms ALBERTONE recalled NEST\PV\1059372\EN AP 101.500v01-00 EN EN that cooperation had a multilateral and a bilateral dimension. Under the multilateral dimension, cooperation involves all 6 EaP states and operates through the EaP Transport Panel, established in September 2011. She mentioned the concrete results of the last transport ministerial meeting in October 2013, which was followed by the Eastern Partnership Summit in November 2013 in Vilnius. Bilateral cooperation in the transport sector is governed by the Partnership and Cooperation Agreements and takes place with all eastern partner countries (except Belarus). The EU transport acquis will also be an integral part of the upcoming Association Agreements. During the discussion which followed, the following points were made: Co-Chair Mr FÄRM questioned the Commission on the financial resources available for the priority projects and mentioned that the EP was currently focused on extending the external mandate of the European Investment Bank, which would bring more resources. Mr KIRILOV (EP) requested the representative from the Commission to elaborate on the TRACECA programme. Mr SHAHGELDYAN (Armenia) raised a question related to the work of the Commission and the European Investment Bank. 4. Presentation and exchange of views on the draft report on Infrastructural cooperation between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries: road, rail and air transport joint projects - Mr Paweł ZALEWSKI, EP co-rapporteur - Mr Mher SHAHGELDYAN and Mr Karen CHSHMARITIAN, EaP co- rapporteurs Mr ZALEWSKI started with the main goals set by EaP summit in Vilnius in the field of transport cooperation which include further regulatory approximation in all transport areas and implementation of transport infrastructure projects. He said that the report stressed the importance of transport to Europe's prosperity and the need for strengthened cooperation with EaP countries. The report calls for a visible link between Europe 2020 strategy and the transport policies of the EaP countries. Among the report's highlights are transport sector reforms, facilitation of border crossing process and increasing level of road safety. Mr SHAHGELDYAN stressed the importance of a mechanism for common transport networks and highlighted .a number of problems such as the introduction of new technologies and safety of roads. Co-Chair Mr FÄRM added that it was important to improve the physical connections and to overcome the problems related to administrative procedures and technical standards and harmonisation. He also stressed the importance of improving the interconnections inside the EaP region. Mr KARIMLI (Azerbaijan) referred to point 17 of the report - Single European Sky -, and wanted to know if a partial signing of the agreement was possible. Mr KIRILOV wanted to know if the issue of the Black Sea Highway could be addressed by the report. Mr ZALEWSKI answered that the Single European Sky concept should include the NEST\PV\1059372\EN 2/6 NEST\PV\1059372\EN EN possibility of gradual participation without however replacing the target of full implementation. Mr SHAHGELDYAN (Armenia) added that a period of grace could be foreseen in the agreement and highlighted the importance of achieving synergy with other organisations. 5. DCFTA versus the Customs Union offer: exchange of views on potential impact and benefits for Eastern Partnership countries Mr IONITA took over the chairmanship of the meeting and welcomed Mr DEVIGNE from the European Commission (DG Trade). Mr DEVIGNE made a presentation on the main differences between DCFTA and the Customs Union and explained the potential impact and benefits for eastern partners. Mr PANKEVYCH (Ukraine) referred to the situation in Ukraine and asked for a minute of silence to honour victims in Kyiv. Mr KIRILOV requested more information on the development of the Customs Union and doubted that the Customs Union could become a competitive entity. Mr SHAHGELDYAN (Armenia) explained the motivations of Armenia to join the Customs Union and assured that Armenia had left the door open for cooperation with the EU. Co-Chair Mr FÄRM raised the question of the future relationship between the EU and Russia. 6. Customs cooperation between the EU and the EaP countries: state-of-play Mr Kristian VANGRIEKEN (European Commission DG Taxation and Customs Union) made a presentation on the customs cooperation between the EU and the EaP countries. Customs cooperation falls under two EaP platforms: platform 1 on "Democracy, Good governance and Stability" and platform 2 on "Economic Integration and Convergence with EU Policies". He provided detailed information of the main priorities falling under platform 2, namely safe and fluid trade links, risk management and fight against fraud, and investment in customs modernization. Co-Chair Mr IONITA made the direct link between transport and customs cooperation. He underlined the importance of international trade for Moldova and expressed hope that cooperation with the EU would help Moldova to deal with fraud with other countries. 7. Any other business. None 8. Date and place of next meeting. Co-Chair Mr IONITA informed that scheduling the next meeting of the Committee depended on the timing of the next plenary session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly and indicated that the next meeting of the Committee could tentatively take place in October 2014. * * * The meeting closed at 16.55. NEST\PV\1059372\EN 3/6 AP 101.500v01-00 EN ПРИСЪСТВЕН ЛИСТ/LISTA DE ASISTENCIA/PREZENČNÍ LISTINA/DELTAGERLISTE/ ANWESENHEITSLISTE/KOHALOLIJATE NIMEKIRI/ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΠΑΡΟΝΤΩΝ/RECORD OF ATTENDANCE/ LISTE DE PRÉSENCE/POPIS NAZOČNIH/ELENCO DI PRESENZA/APMEKLĒJUMU REĢISTRS/DALYVIŲ SĄRAŠAS/ JELENLÉTI ÍV/REĠISTRU TA' ATTENDENZA/PRESENTIELIJST/LISTA OBECNOŚCI/LISTA DE PRESENÇAS/ LISTĂ DE PREZENŢĂ/PREZENČNÁ LISTINA/SEZNAM NAVZOČIH/LÄSNÄOLOLISTA/DELTAGARLISTA/ СПИСОК ПРИСУТСТВУЮЩИХ Бюро/Mesa/Předsednictvo/Formandskabet/Vorstand/Juhatus/Προεδρείο/Bureau/Predsjedništvo/Ufficio di presidenza/Prezidijs/ Biuras/Elnökség/ Prezydium/Birou/Predsedníctvo/Predsedstvo/Puheenjohtajisto/Presidiet/Бюро (*) EP/PE Mr Veaceslav IONITA (Moldova) Mr Goran FÄRM (S&D, Sweden) Членове/Diputados/Poslanci/Medlemmer/Mitglieder/Parlamendiliikmed/Μέλη/Members/Zastupnici/Députés/Deputati/Deputāti/Nariai/ Képviselõk/ Membri/Leden/Posłowie/Deputados/Deputaţi/Jäsenet/Ledamöter/Депутаты EP/PE Armenia: Mr SHAHGELDYAN; EPP: KACZMAREK; ZALEWSKI; Azerbaijan: Mr HUSEYNLI; Mr KARIMLI Georgia: Mr AGULASHVILI; Mr MKOIANI S&D: FÄRM; KIRILOV Moldova: Mr IONITA Ukraine: Mr PANKEVYCH; Ms PACHESIUK Заместници/Suplentes/Náhradníci/Stedfortrædere/Stellvertreter/Asendusliikmed/Αναπληρωτές/Substitutes/Zamjenici/Suppléants/ Supplenti/Aizstājēji/Pavaduojantysnariai/Póttagok/Sostituti/Plaatsvervangers/Zastępcy/Membros suplentes/Supleanţi/Náhradníci/ Namestniki/Varajäsenet/Suppleanter/Заместители EP/PE Наблюдатели/Observadores/Pozorovatelé/Observatører/Beobachter/Vaatlejad/Παρατηρητές/Observers/Observateurs/Promatrači/ Osservatori/Novērotāji/Stebėtojai/Megfigyelők/Osservaturi/Waarnemers/Obserwatorzy/Observadores/Observatori/Pozorovatelia/ Opazovalci/Tarkkailijat/Observatörer/Наблюдатели По покана на председателя/Por invitación del presidente/Na pozvání předsedy/Efter indbydelse fra formanden/Auf Einladung des Vorsitzenden/Esimehe kutsel/Με πρόσκληση του Προέδρου/At the invitation of the Chair(wo)man/Sur l'invitation du président/ Na poziv predsjednika/Su invito del presidente/Pēc priekšsēdētāja uzaicinājuma/Pirmininkui pakvietus/Az elnök meghívására/ Fuq stedina taċ-'Chairman'/Op uitnodiging van de voorzitter/Na zaproszenie