WHITE PAPER ON EUROPEAN INTEGRATION OF THE WESTERN BALKANS. Adopted by the YEPP Council in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on September 18, 2010.

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1 WHITE PAPER ON EUROPEAN INTEGRATION OF THE WESTERN BALKANS Adopted by the YEPP Council in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on September 18, The recent history of the Western Balkans 1 was marked by conflicts and instability, leaving the Western Balkans devastated and with serious post-conflict problems. The Western Balkans faced numerous challenges that needed to be address adequately and systematically. The Western Balkans needs reforms in order to re-build their societies based on democracy and the respect for rule of law and human rights. Stability and postconflict resolution were put high on the agenda by the international community which played a significant role in this process. Peace and prosperity in the Western Balkans is an important goal of the European Union and the European integration of the Western Balkans is accepted as the key strategy towards achieving this goal. The Western Balkans had to, and still have to, undertake different stages in order to overcome the issues that came as a consequence of the wars in the 1990s and to eventually become part of the European Union, with the first stage being a nation and state building process, leading to an institution building process which shall lead to the process of member-state building. With regard to this, the European Union has launched a comprehensive long-term approach for the Western Balkans in 1999 through the Stability Pact for South-East Europe, replacing the Regional Approach for the Western Balkans of At the Zagreb Summit in 2000, the European Union initiated the Stabilization and Association Process, a policy framework for the Western Balkans, which pursues three aims: stabilization and a swift transition to a market economy, the promotion of regional cooperation and the prospect of EU accession. In 2003, at the Thessaloniki Summit, the Stabilization and 1 under UNSC resolution 1244/99. 1

2 Association Process was further upgraded and the European perspective of the Western Balkans was confirmed by the European Council, declaring unambiguously that the future of the Balkans is in the European Union. In January 2006, the European Commission adopted a Communication on The Western Balkans on the Road to the EU: Consolidating stability and raising prosperity, noting that the Western Balkans have made considerable progress in stabilization and reconciliation, internal reform and regional cooperation, in the three years after the Thessaloniki Summit. The European Union reiterated its commitment towards the integration of the Western Balkans at the Sarajevo Summit, held in June The Western Balkans are in various stages in the accession process: Croatia is the only country in The Western Balkans that is in the negotiation process and so far, 22 policy areas have been provisionally closed in the accession negotiations and talks continue on a further 11. Croatia has been a candidate country for EU membership since June It signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement in October 2001 and in February 2003 Croatia submitted its membership application, followed by a positive opinion on the application by the European Commission and the confirmation of the candidate country status by the European Council in June On 3 October 2005 the Council decided to open accession negotiations with Croatia. An obstacle to proceeding with the negotiations was the border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia; the obstacle was resolved by a border arbitration agreement between the two states. Albania is a potential candidate country for EU accession following the Thessaloniki European Council of June Albania and the EU signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement in June 2006 and in April 2009, after the last ratification, it entered into force. The country formally applied for EU membership in April In September 2007 the EU and Albania signed a visa facilitation agreement and the visa liberalization dialogue was launched in March Three months later the European 2

3 Commission presented a road map identifying the specific requirement for visa liberalization with Albania. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a potential candidate country for EU accession following the Thessaloniki European Council of June The EU decided on the first European Partnership for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2004 and in November 2005 the Stabilization and Association Agreement negotiations were officially opened. Two years later the Visa facilitation and readmission agreements were signed and entered into force on 1 January The EU initiated the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina in December 2007 and it was signed on 16 June In May 2010 the European Commission adopted a proposal to enable citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina (and Albania) to travel with biometric passports to Schengen countries without visa. The final decision on the proposal is made by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. In 2005 Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was granted candidate country status for EU membership. In April 2001 became the first amongst the Western Balkans to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement. In March 2004 Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia applied to EU membership and in December 2005 it was granted candidate status by the European Council. In October 2009 the European Commission recommended opening negotiations for Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia s accession to the European Union. A visa liberalization dialogue was launched in February 2008 and the following year in December the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was granted visa liberalization by the European Union, along with Serbia and Montenegro. Fostering good neighbourly relations, including a negotiated and mutually acceptable solution on the name dispute between FYROM and Greece, under the auspices of the UN, remains essential. 3

4 Montenegro is a potential candidate for membership to the EU. In June 2006 Montenegro declared its independence and the EU Council immediately declared the will to develop further the relations with Montenegro as a sovereign, independent state. Stabilization and Association Agreement negotiations with Montenegro were launched in September In September 2007 Montenegro signs the visa facilitation and readmission agreements with the European Union. The Stabilization and Association Agreement was signed in October 2007 and in December 2008 Montenegro submitted its membership application. Along with Serbia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro was granted visa-free regime in December 2009 by the European Union. Serbia is a potential candidate country for EU accession following the Thessaloniki European Council of June In October 2005 the negotiations for a Stabilization and Association Agreement were launched and three years later, in April 2008, the Agreement was signed between Serbia and the EU. The Visa liberalization with Serbia entered into force in December On 22 December 2009 Serbia officially applied for EU membership. The Resolution 1244 of the United Nations Security Council is in force. Kosovo is participating in the stabilization and association process but the European Commission has not yet recommended the opening of the negotiations about membership with Kosovo. In April 2005 the European Commission adopted the Communication to the Council and the European Parliament on A European Future for Kosovo. In February 2008 the Council of the European Union took note of Kosovo s declaration of independence resolution and noted that member states will decide, in accordance with national practice and international law, on their relations with Kosovo. The European Union provides assistance to Kosovo through the deployment of the EULEX policing mission, the Special representative and the Kosovo international civilian office. So far 22 4

5 EU member states have recognized Kosovo as an independent state and five members have not. YEPP YEPP is aware that the financial crisis in the past two years shifted the attention from enlargement to economic recovery of the member states, with some of them expressing concerns over the future enlargement of the European Union. Nonetheless, it has been repeatedly stated by the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union that the future of the Western Balkans is within the European Union. The commitment of the European Union towards the European perspective of the Western Balkans within the new framework of the Lisbon Treaty has been reaffirmed at high-level meetings between EU officials and heads of governments from the Western Balkan. YEPP believes that the European Union is not complete without the Western Balkans fully integrated. The European integration of the Western Balkans will ensure stability, prosperity and security in the region, which has always been part of Europe and its history. Having regard to the Declaration of the Zagreb Summit, adopted by heads of state or government of European Union member-states and countries covered by the Stabilization and Association Process in November 2000, Having regard to the Declaration of the EU Western Balkans Summit in Thessaloniki, adopted by the heads of state or government of the European Union member-states in June 2003, Having regard to the Declaration on the Western Balkans of the European Council in June 2008, 5

6 Having regard to the European Parliament Resolution of 26 November 2009 on the Commission's 2009 Enlargement Strategy Paper concerning the Western Balkan countries, Iceland and Turkey; Having regard to the Declaration of the Sarajevo Conference on the Western Balkans in June 2010, Having regard to the Joint Statement of EPP leaders of South-East Europe, adopted at the EPP meeting in Sarajevo on 5 June 2010, Highlighting that the people and countries of South-East Europe are part of the European cultural and political tradition, Bearing in mind the definite commitment of the government of the countries in South- East Europe towards European integration, Emphasizing the overwhelming support of citizens of South-East Europe towards European integration, Stressing that without a fully integrated Western Balkans in the EU, the political and geographical image of Europe will not be complete, Acknowledging that the future of the Western Balkans lies with the European Union as reaffirmed by the Thessaloniki European Council of 2003 and the Brussels European Council of 2006 and subsequent summits; Acknowledging the political and economic disparities between the countries of South- East Europe and therefore a need for an individual approach to each country; YEPP calls the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union to: 1. Provide full support for the membership prospects of all countries of South-East Europe in the European Union; 6

7 2. Extend to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania a visa free regime as soon as the necessary requirements are fulfilled: 3. Support the constitutional reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that is of utmost importance for building a functional state and EU accession; 4. Conclude the membership negotiations with Croatia and then set a date of accession; 5. Decide on the commencement of negotiations with Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with respect to the conclusions of the EU General Affairs Council of 7 and 8 December 2009; 6. Assist the Western Balkans in ensuring stability and progress on key reforms; 7. Encourage the regional cooperation within the Western Balkans as an important factor for the enlargement and reconciliation process; 8. Work closely with the Western Balkans to strengthen socio-economic development and good governance; 9. Support further progress and reforms which are necessary for the fulfillment of the Copenhagen Criteria and the harmonization of the national legislations with the Acquis Communautaire; 10. Encourage good neighborly relations with full respect of territorial sovereignty and integrity are of common interest and emphasize that for all open questions mutually acceptable solutions can and must be found, in European spirit of cooperation, solidarity and respect of international law; 11. Support the Western Balkans in the fight against organized crime and corruption and terrorism; 7

8 12. Promote European values and intercultural dialogue in the Western Balkans and thus fostering democratization, reconciliation and respect for human rights, in accordance to article 49 of the Lisbon Treaty; 13. Invest in young people who are the long-lasting agents of reforms and change; 14. Encourage active youth participation in public life and the process of European integration; 15. Create projects and programmes for fostering youth involvement in shaping the Western Balkans future within the European Union while inspiring a sense of active European citizenship and tolerance; 16. Increase youth mobility and international youth cooperation between the European Union and the Western Balkans; 17. Enhance youth exchanges and cooperation within the Western Balkans, particularly through EU programmes and initiatives; 18. Support the process of sustainable return of refugees and internally displaced persons; 19. Call on the Western Balkans for full cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), while acknowledging that there is no collective guilt for war crimes, but there is a responsibility of all of the Western Balkans to process and punish perpetrators of war crimes, to find missing people and bury them with dignity; The Youth of the European People's Party calls the European People's Party to: - Provide full support to EPP member parties from the Western Balkans in their efforts promoting European values and leading their countries European integration; 8

9 - Assist EPP member parties from the Western Balkans in implementing necessary reforms; - Organize regional meetings of EPP leaders in the Western Balkans, as a follow-up to the first Regional Meeting initiated and organized by SDA in Sarajevo in June 2010, with the purpose of encouraging dialogue and cooperation between EPP member parties, especially during their European integration; The Youth of the European Peoples Party therefore concludes that: 1. The EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans has to be a top policy priority for the European Union. 2. The EU commitment towards the EU integration of the Western Balkans should be demonstrated through state and institution-building assistance. 3. EU Enlargement is a two-way street and all candidates and potential candidates have to implement all necessary reforms in order to meet the membership criteria. 9