News
Releases
Benita Ferrero-Waldner
No. 51/05
May 10, 2005
15TH EU-RUSSIA
SUMMIT
MOSCOW, 10 MAY 2005
The fifteenth EU-Russia
Summit took place in Moscow on 10 May 2005. The Summit
was hosted by Mr. Vladimir PUTIN, President of the Russian
Federation, accompanied by Mr. Mikhail FRADKOV, Prime
Minister, Mr. Sergey LAVROV, Foreign Minister, Mr. German
GREF, Minister for Economic Development and Trade, Mr.
Viktor KHRISTENKO, Minister for Energy and Industry, as
well as Mr. Sergey YASTRZHEMBSKIY, Special Representative
for development of relations with the European Union.
The EU was represented by Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude
JUNCKER, in his capacity as President of the
European Council, assisted by the Secretary-General/High
Representative,
Dr. Javier SOLANA and the President of the European
Commission,
Mr. José Manuel BARROSO. The Prime Minister of Luxembourg
was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr.
Jean ASSELBORN. The President of the European Commission
was accompanied by
Mrs. Benita FERRERO-WALDNER, Commissioner for External
Relations, and
Mr. Peter MANDELSON, Commissioner for Trade.
Further to a decision at the EU/Russia Summit in St. Petersburg
on 31 May 2003 to create in the long-term a Common Economic
Space, a Common Space of Freedom, Security and Justice,
a Space of Co-operation in the field External Security,
as well as a Space of Research and Education, including
Cultural Aspects, in the framework of the Partnership
and Co-operation Agreement (PCA), the leaders of the EU
and Russia today adopted a single package of road maps
for the creation of the four Common
Spaces. These Road Maps set out shared objectives
for EU/Russia relations as well as the actions necessary
to make these objectives a reality and determine the agenda
for co-operation between the EU and Russia for the medium-term.
Common Economic Space
The objective of the common economic space is to create
an open and integrated market between the EU and Russia.
Work on this space will bring down barriers to trade and
investment and promote reforms and competitiveness, based
on the principles of non-discrimination, transparency
and good governance. Among the wide range of actions foreseen
in the road map, an EU/Russia regulatory dialogue on industrial
products is to be launched, as well as greater co-operation
on investment issues, competition and financial services.
It is also foreseen to enhance co-operation in the telecommunications,
transport and energy fields, on issues such as regulatory
standard-setting and infrastructure development. Moreover,
it has been agreed to strengthen co-operation in the area
of environment, notably on climate change and the implementation
of the Kyoto
Protocol and outer space activities, such as space
launching.
Common Space of Freedom, Security and Justice
The underlying principles of the common space of freedom,
security and justice are democracy, the rule of law, respect
for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including free
and independent media and the effective application of
common values by independent judicial systems. Work on
this space will see adoption in the near future of agreements
on readmission and visa facilitation, which together will
promote greater contact between the citizens of the EU
and Russia via travel and tourism as well as facilitate
business and official travel. The EU will continue to
examine with Russia the conditions for visa-free travel
as a long-term perspective. The regular EU/Russia consultations
on human rights, which were successfully launched in March,
fall within this space, as does co-operation on combating
terrorism, organised crime and corruption.
Common Space of External Security
The road map for the Common Space of External Security
underlines the shared responsibility of the EU and Russia
for an international order based on effective multilateralism,
their determination to co-operate to strengthen the central
role of the United Nations and promote the role and effectiveness
of relevant international and regional organisations,
in particular the OSCE (Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe) and the Council of Europe. Building
further on their already on-going co-operation, the EU
and Russia will strengthen their co-operation and dialogue
on security and crisis management in order to address
the global and regional challenges and key threats of
today, notably terrorism,
the proliferation of WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction),
existing and potential regional and local conflicts. They
will give particular attention to securing international
stability, including in the regions adjacent to Russian
and EU borders, where they will co-operate to promote
resolution of frozen conflicts in Europe (e.g., in Transnistria,
Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh), in line
with UN and OSCE commitments. The EU will continue to
provide support through humanitarian assistance, economic
rehabilitation, confidence building and efforts to tackle
poverty and human rights abuses.
Common space on research, education and culture
Work to create the common space of research and education,
including cultural aspects, aims to capitalise on the
strength of EU and Russian research communities and cultural
and intellectual heritage by identifying key measures
to promote economic growth and strengthen competitiveness,
reinforce links between research and innovation, encourage
close cooperation in the field of education - including
the convergence of university course formats and qualifications
- and promote cultural and linguistic diversity. A European
institute in Moscow, co-funded by the EU and Russia, is
to be set up in 2006.
The leaders of the EU and Russia also briefly discussed
the future of EU/Russia relations after the expiry of
the first period of validity of the Partnership
and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) in 2007.
The leaders of the EU and Russia addressed in a constructive
spirit internal developments in the EU and Russia, including
the situation in Chechnya. They also discussed a wide
range of international issues.
The
text of the 4 road maps can be found at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/russia/summit_05_05/index.htm
Official information of the European Commission is available
at any time at: http://europa.eu.int/rapid/
Further Contact Information
Press and Media Relations
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
