EN    EN  COMMISSION OF THE E UROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 9.12.2004 
COM(2004) 795 final 
  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE COUNCIL 
ON THE COMMISSION PROPOSALS FOR ACTION PLANS UNDER THE  
EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY (ENP) 
 
 2    COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE COUNCIL 
ON THE COMMISSION PROPOSALS FOR ACTION PLANS UNDER THE  
EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY (ENP) 
1. INTRODUCTION  
The ENP Strategy Paper of May 20041 set out the Commission’s approach for taking forward 
work European Neighbourhood Policy over the comi ng years. It was based on more than a 
year of intensive work following the Co mmission’s Communication “Wider Europe – 
Neighbourhood: A new framework for relations with our East ern and Southern Neighbours2”. 
Consultations took place with Member States and the Secretary Genera l/High Representative, 
as well as partner countries.  The 2004 Strategy Paper defined the objectives and principles, 
the geographical scope, and the methods to be used for implementing the ENP. The Council 
“welcomed the Commission’s proposal to pursue the ENP through action plans to be agreed 
jointly with the neighbouring countries concerned” 3.  
The Commission has since completed consultations  on a first set of draft Action Plans and is 
transmitting these to the Council for approv al and for subsequent endorsement by the 
Association or Cooperation Councils with each of the partners concerned.  
The purpose of this Communication is to situat e the Action Plans within the policy framework 
of the ENP, particularly in the context of curre nt political developments notably in Ukraine.  
2. MAIN FEATURES OF ENP 
ENP offers a means to strengthen  relations between th e EU and its partners, which is distinct 
from the possibilities availabl e to European countries unde r Article 49 of the Treaty on 
European Union. It is addressed to partners neighbouring the Union which are not involved in 
the present accession or pre-accession process. 
The objective of ENP is to share the benefits of enlargement with ne ighbouring countries in 
strengthening stability, secur ity and well-being for all. By  drawing countries into an 
increasingly close relationshi p with the EU, it can create a ‘ring of friends’ and prevent 
emergence of new dividing lines. It offers count ries the chance to participate in various EU 
activities, through greate r cooperation on political, security and economic issues as well as 
culture and education. Through this  deeper engagement with its  partners, the EU seeks to 
promote partners’ commitment to common values  such as the rule of law, good governance, 
respect for human rights, and the prom otion of good neighbourly relations.  
The ENP will further intensify cooperation with partner countries in a broad range of other 
areas including political dialogue  and cooperation, trade,  aspects of internal  market policies, 
                                                 
1 COM(2004)373 final, 12.5.2004 
2 COM(2003)104 final, 11.3.2003 
3 GAER Council conclusions of 14 June 2004 
 
 3    energy, transport, information society, environm ent and research and i nnovation, social policy 
and people-to-people contacts. 
ENP is fully in accordance with the goals of the European Security Strategy (endorsed by 
European Council of December 2003) which are to: "make a particular contribution to 
stability and good governance in our immediat e neighbourhood [and] to promote a ring of 
well governed countries to the East of th e European Union and on the borders of the 
Mediterranean with whom we can enjo y close and cooperative relations".  
ENP is also a valuable complement to Barcelona  process in that it will allow each partner to 
develop closer links with EU based on its particular need s and capacities. 
3. ACTION PLANS  
Action Plans constitute an initia l step towards realising the vi sion set out above. In line with 
the conclusions of the Council, the pres ent proposals for or Action Plans are:4 “to be agreed 
jointly with the neighbouring countries conc erned. They should have a minimum duration of 
three years and be subject to renewal by mutu al consent. Such action plans should be based 
on common principles but be differentiated, as appropriate, taking into account the 
specificities of each neighbour, its national reform processes and its relations with the EU. 
Action plans should be comprehens ive but at the same time iden tify clearly a limited number 
of key priorities and offer real incentives fo r reform. Action plans should also contribute, 
where possible, to regional cooperation.”  
The first Action Plans proposed have been deve loped with partners with which the EU has 
Association or Partnership and Cooperation Agreements in fo rce: Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, 
Tunisia, Ukraine, Israel and the Palestinia n Authority. Before star ting work on the Action 
Plans, the Commission prepared Country Reports which were used to identify priorities for 
each country. The Commission has held exploratory talks with all these partners in the course 
of 2004 in close coordination with the Member States. Successive Presidencies, the Council 
Secretariat and representatives of SG/HR Solana have participated in all consultations with 
partners. 
The intensity and level of ambition of relatio ns with each ENP partner is differentiated, 
reflecting the degree to which common values are effectively shared, the existing state of 
relations with each country, its needs and capacitie s, as well as common interests. The tailor-
made Action Plans contain a number of priorities  intended to strengthen commitment to these 
values. These include for example strengthening democracy and the rule of law, respect of 
human rights and fundamental freedoms, includi ng freedom of media an d expression, rights 
of minorities and support for the development of  civil society. Commitments are also sought 
to certain essential aspects of the EU’s exte rnal action, including in particular, the fight 
against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass de struction, as we ll as efforts to 
achieve conflict resolution. The Action Plans sh ould contribute to cr oss-border cooperation. 
In this, the experience gained with struct ural polices will be taken into account. 
Individual priorities identified in the Action Pl an aim to be both ambitious and realistic, and 
formulated in a manner as precise and specific as  possible so as to allow concrete follow-up 
and monitoring of the commitments taken by both sides.  
                                                 
4 GAER Councils of 16 June 2003 and of 14 June 2004. 
 
 4    The Commission will send the draf t Action Plans to the European Parliament, as well as to the 
European Economic and Social Committee,  and the Committee of the Regions for 
information. 
The legal basis for the work with each partner country is the Association Agreement or 
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement curren tly in force. Once approved by the Member 
States, the Action Plans will be endorsed by the re spective Association or Partnership and 
Cooperation Councils. This takes the form of a Commission proposal fo r a Council Decision 
on the position to be taken by the European Co mmunity and its Member States within the 
relevant Association or Partne rship and Cooperation Council with regard to the adoption of a 
Recommendation on the implementation of the relevant Action Plan.  
After that, the joint bodies set up under th ese agreements (Association or Cooperation 
Councils and Committees and sub- committees) will be used to advance work on and monitor 
implementation of Action Plans. Progress in m eeting agreed objectives will be monitored in 
the bodies established by the respective Associ ation or Partnership and Cooperation Councils 
– which bring together represen tatives of partner countries, member states, the European 
Commission and the Council Secretariat. The structures under these agreements, and in 
particular the subcommittees, are being reviewed to ensure that all priorities identified in the 
Action Plans are duly reflected.  
The Commission will draw up periodic reports  on progress and on areas needing further 
effort. For these reports, the Commission will invite the partner countries to provide information and will also draw on the expertise of other organisations, as relevant, such as the Council of Europe, the OSCE, UN bodies and International Financia l Institutions. The 
Commission intends, for countries covered by these action plans, to submit to the Council a first set of progress reports in  the course of 2006, and a second one in 2007. As in earlier work 
on the ENP, the Commission will seek the contri bution of the SG/HR fo r issues related to 
political dialogue and cooperation and the CFSP.  
Any proposals concerning the furt her development of the EU’s contractual links  with each 
partner will be made in the light of thes e reports. The Commission has proposed that, 
depending on the degree of success in implementing the initial Action Plans, each partner could be offered a new and more wide ranging co ntractual framework for its relations with the 
EU in the form of European Neighbourhood Agreements.  
The implementation of the priorities in the Action Plans will be supported by financial 
assistance through the existing Meda and Tacis programmes. Fr om the start of the next 
financial perspective, the Commission has proposed a new “policy driven” European 
Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (E NPI) which will focus in particular on 
supporting the implementation of the ENP Action Plans.  
4. P
RESENT POLITICAL CONTEXT  
Ukraine is among the partners with which a Draft Action Plan has been negotiated in the 
course of 2004. The Commission has presente d this Action Plan for Ukraine as a 
demonstration of its full engagement with, and commitment to, the country’s future 
development. The Commission r ecommends that the Council tran smit this Action Plan to the 
EU – Ukraine Co-operation Council for approval as soon as developments in Ukraine make it 
possible to envisage implementa tion of its provisions . These include the holding of free and 
fair Presidential elections in accordance with OSCE standards.  
 
 5    5. FUTURE ACTION PLANS  
After a proposal by the Commission, the GAE R Council decided on 14 June 2004 to include 
Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan in the ENP. This marks an important step forward in the 
EU’s engagement with the Southern Caucasus  region. The decision opens up the perspective 
of a significantly enha nced partnership. As a first step, the Commission will prepare Country 
Reports to be presented in time for the Eur opean Council in March 2005. These reports will 
also provide a basis for a recommendation as to whether and when to prepare Action Plans 
with these countries. 
Furthermore, with the respective EU Associat ion Agreements with Egypt and Lebanon now in 
force, the Commission will integrate these tw o countries fully into the ENP and has begun 
preparations for Action Plans. For these count ries, too, the Commission is preparing Country 
Reports to be presented in time for the Europe an Council in March 2005. This will help to 
identify priority areas on  which Action Plans with Egypt and Lebanon could focus. 
The European Neighbourhood Policy is open to  Belarus and all Med iterranean countries 
including Lybia once they have met th e necessary conditions for inclusion.