European Union Association Agreement

A European Union Association Agreement (for short, Association Agreement) is a treaty between the European Union (EU) and a non-EU country that creates a framework for co-operation between them. Areas frequently covered by such agreements include the development of political, trade, social, cultural and security links.

Overview

The EU typically concludes Association Agreements in exchange for commitments to political, economic, trade, or human rights reform in a country. In exchange, the country may be offered tariff-free access to some or all EU markets (industrial goods, agricultural products, etc), and financial or technical assistance.

Association Agreements have to be ratified by all the EU member states.

In recent history, such agreements are signed as part of two EU policies: Stabilisation and Association process (SAp) and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The countries of the western Balkans are covered by SAp and the EU signs with them "Stabilisation and Association Agreements" (SAA) that explicitly include provisions for future EU membership of the country involved (these countries are covered by the Enlargement directorate-general of the European Commission instead of the External Relations directorate-general that covers relations with all states in the world except candidates and potential candidates for membership ^*). The countries of the Mediterranean and the East European EU neighbours (including South Caucasus, but excluding Russia that insists on creating four EU-Russia Common Spaces) are covered by ENP. In the ENP Association Agreements (as in similar AAs signed with Mexico and other states) there is no mention of EU membership - this is a concern only to the European ENP states, because for the Mediterranean it is obvious that they cannot join the union in its current form because they are not located in Europe. SAAs are similar to the Europe Agreements signed with the CEECs in the 1990s and to the AA with Turkey. The ENP AAs are similar to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreements signed with CIS states in the 1990s and to the multiple other AAs governing the relations between the EU and other third countries. The ENP stipulates that after signing of AA with a particular country the EU will make a Country Report and then the two sides will agree on an Action Plan drafted by the EU (including particular reforms, actions and also aid by the EU) for the next 3 to 5 years.

Both the SAA and ENP AP are based mostly on the EU's Acquis communautaire and its promulgation in the cooperating states legislation. Of course the depth of the harmonisation is less than for full EU members and some policy areas may not be covered (depending on the particular state).

There are some indications ^* that the ENP countries may be divided into two groups - European states with explicitely stated EU membership possibility for the long term and Mediterranean states with no such statement in the Action Plans.

Stabilisation and Association process

Croatia, SAA signed in 2001, entered in force 2005
Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), SAA signed in 2001, entered in force 2004
Albania, SAA signed in June 2006, ratification in progress (states that ratified already: none yet).
Serbia, negotiations started in November 2005, still ongoing
- Kosovo, in absence of an international status, negotiations on a Stabilisation Tracking Mechanism have started in 2003, still ongoing
Montenegro, status unknown after separation from Serbia and Montenegro
Bosnia and Herzegovina, negotiations started in November 2005, still ongoing

European Neighbourhood Policy

Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA), Country Report (CR), ENP Action Plan (AP)

Morocco, AA 2000, CR May 2004, AP End 2004, AP adoption - Feb 2005 by the EU, July 2005 by Morocco
Algeria, AA 2005, CR under development
Tunisia, AA 1998, CR May 2004, AP End 2004, AP adoption - Feb 2005 by the EU, July 2005 by Tunisia
Libya - recent changes in Libya policies may allow for starting of some cooperation
Egypt, AA 2004, CR March 2005, AP under development
Jordan, AA 2002, CR May 2004, AP End 2004, AP adoption - Feb 2005 by the EU, January 2005 by Jordan
Lebanon, AA 2006, CR March 2005, AP under development
Syria - AA singature by the EU Council pending Syria co-operation with the UN Investigation Commission
Israel, AA 2000, CR May 2004, AP End 2004, AP adopted - Feb 2005 by the EU, April 2005 by Israel
Palestinian Authority, AA 1997 (provisional), CR May 2004, AP End 2004, AP adoption - Feb 2005 by the EU, May 2005 by PA
Moldova, PCA 1998, CR May 2004, AP End 2004, AP adopted - Feb 2005 by the EU and Moldova
Ukraine, PCA 1998, CR May 2004, AP End 2004, AP adopted - Feb 2005 by the EU and Ukraine
Georgia, PCA 1999, CR March 2005, AP under development
Armenia, PCA 1999, CR March 2005, AP under development
Azerbaijan, PCA 1999, CR March 2005, AP under development
Belarus - EU considers the Belarus authorities too undemocratic
Russia - opted to cooperate through the formation of EU-Russia Common Spaces instead of the ENP.
Kazakhstan - the Kazakh Foreign Ministry has expressed interest in the ENP Some MEPs also discussed Kazakhstan's inclusion in the ENP [http://www.charlestannock.com/speech.asp?id=1150.

sources: ^*

EU Agreements with third states

Agreements with FTA provisions

Algeria AA (2005)
Croatia SAA (2005)
Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) SAA (2004)
Mexico AA (2000)
Chile AA (2003)
South Africa AA (2000)
Faroe Islands, autonomous entity of Denmark (1997)
Switzerland FTA (1973)
Morocco AA (2000)
Tunisia AA (1998)
Egypt AA (2004)
Jordan AA (2002)
Lebanon AA (2006)
Israel AA (2000)
Palestinian Authority interim AA (1997)
Bulgaria EA (1995)
Romania EA (1995)
Albania SAA (signed 2006, entry into force pending)
Andorra CU (1991)
San Marino CU (2002)
Turkey CU (1996)

Currently in negotiations

Other Agreements

Kazakhstan PCA (1999)
Kyrgystan PCA (1999)
Uzbekistan PCA (1999)
Moldova PCA (1998)
Ukraine PCA (1998)
Georgia PCA (1999)
Armenia PCA (1999)
Azerbaijan PCA (1999)
Russia PCA (1997)
Albania Trade and Cooperation Agreement (1992)
USSR Trade and Cooperation Agreement of 1989, endorsed by Tajikistan in 1994 and by Turkmenistan
Mongolia Trade and Cooperation Agreement (1993)
Syria AA (1977)
Serbia Framework Agreement FRY-EU (2000)
GCC Cooperation Agreement (1989)