The Impact of EU enlargement on EU -Russia cooperation

Résumé du document

The last EU enlargement towards Central and Eastern Europe seems to have impact on the EU-Russia relationships defined by cooperation. On one hand, Russia and the European Union have developed a strengthened partnership through the EU enlargement, since both of them have interests in it. For instance, the rhetoric used in the joint statement of the 27th of April 2004 could easily lead to the conclusion that the enlargement was obviously beneficial for the relationships between Russia and the European Union.
However the enlargement entails some problems concerning the EU-Russia cooperation, as well. Trade, minorities rights, visas, and political isolation have led to the Russian government to complain the alleged ‘damage' that enlargement would cause to Russian interests, through more metaphysical worries about political exclusion, to a more practical appreciation that enlargement could be beneficial. In April 2004, the Commission and Russia signed an agreement. But it still remains issues such as the future of Russia position at international level. Moreover, Russian public opinion and elite seem still far to feel close to European Union which has led to the development of bilateral relationships with States at the EU's expenses.

Extraits

[...] This is how Europe is viewed from Moscow nowadays: prosperous and strong, but not very reassuring as far as Russia is concerned. Further consolidation of the EU will sooner or later make it clear that this dividing line between members and non-members might become fundamental. There is a growing understanding in Russia that this trend might damage its interests and its prospects in Europe. For instance, Russia believes that enlargement will entail a significant drop in its exports to the Central and Eastern Europe, a loss which the Russian experts calculate at between 150 and 400 million euros. [...]

[...] Indeed the European Union is very aware of the fact that the greater the political and economic distance between EU member states and those that lay beyond their borders, the greater the danger that the military and ideological divisions of the cold wad will be replaced by a social and economic division further to the east. Russia, while having no fundamental objection to EU enlargement (unlike its position concerning NATO enlargement) is nevertheless anxious to avoid any possible negative repercussions for itself. In this essay we are going to assess the impact of the EU enlargement on EU-Russia cooperation. In other words, we will be concerned by knowing if the EU enlargement is going to strenghten or weaken this relationship. [...]

[...] Second, the issue of Schengen agreement and the visa'question are at stake concerning the EU enlargement and Russia. The introduction by the new EU member states of much tighter controls on their eastern borders to fulfil the pre-accession obligations imposed by the EU has aroused considerable bad feeling in Russia. In many respects it is becoming more difficult to move between Russia and Poland or the Czech Republic than it was during the Cold War, and of course, border controls between Russia and the Baltic States are even more sensitive. [...]

[...] The main legal basis for EU relations with Russia is the Partnership and Cooperation Agrememnt (PCA) of 1994. The EU also laid down its basic approach to relations with Russia in a ‘Common Strategy' of 1999. In addtition to this framework, the TACIS porgramme provides technical assistance to support agreed objectives. Through this economic and political cooperation, it is hoped that the currently weak Russia will become so convinced of the benefits of cooperation and so integrated into all aspects of European life, that it will accept the role of equal partner with the EU in promoting the security and stability of the continent. [...]

[...] As J.Haslam[15] argues, ‘today there are two Russias': a sick one and a healthy one. This author says that the first one is xenophobic, secretive, bureaucratic, sclerotic and for, these and other reasons, a potential threat to the other ‘characterized by democracy, the free market and good relations with its neighbours'. He also states that is the first Russia that has provoked the countries of east and central Europe into seeking speedy integration NATO and the EU'. To our mind, Russia has to develop and strenghten the healthy Russia in order to consolidate its relationships with the Central and Eastern countries, specially because those one may fear to be contaminated by the sick elements of Russia particularly in the borders regions or in the Kaliningrad area. [...]