The Agency in context: The European Union and the region

"Accession is about taking European values into the fabric of daily life. 'Values' sound rather vague, but they are spelled out clearly in the EU's new Constitutional Treaty. They include democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and the protection of minorities - these are fundamental pre-conditions for closer relations with the EU," said Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn in an address to NGO community in Belgrade, January 2005.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn

The European Agency for Reconstruction operates within the larger context of the EU's strategic commitment to a process of Stabilisation and Association with five countries in South Eastern Europe. The key objective is to help them gear their political, economic and institutional development to the values of democracy, respect for human rights and a market economy. The Agency is active in UN-administered Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Once part of the European Commissions External Relations portfolio, the Agency is now linked with the Enlargement Directorate.

So far the EU has signed Stabilisation and Association Agreements with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and with Croatia. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Serbia as well as Montenegro may also be invited in the future to negotiate such Agreements.  

The EU strategy for the six countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) is based, on one hand, on the model used to rebuild Western Europe after the Second World War, and on the other hand on policies adopted by the then European Community towards the countries of Central and Eastern Europe following the collapse of Communism there in 1989.

Chris Patten, European Commissioner for External Relations

This is how former Commissioner Chris Patten, one of the Agency's early supporters summed up the challenge:   

"The challenges are clearly enormous: shattered infrastructure, a ruined industrial base, thousands of refugees and displaced persons, and a legacy of ethnic suspicion. Nevertheless, our experience in Europe after 1945 shows that change is possible. Reconstruction of a new Europe was made possible after the Second World War by the will to put conflicts behind us, the desire to achieve better lives for our children, the determination to rebuild, and the willingness of friends to help."

The EU's actions in support to the Stabilisation and Association Process cover such areas as:

• linking up the region: transport infrastructure
• developing a market economy
• creating a common European education area
• democracy, human rights and independent media
• customs, the fight against corruption and organized crime
• humanitarian assistance to the vulnerable throughout the region
• mine clearance
• trade liberalisation: preparing a future free trade area

A key aspect of this strategy is the CARDS (Community Assistance for the Reconstruction Development and Stabilisation) Programme for the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). The CARDS Programme follows four-year Country Strategy Papers for the partner countries (in the case of the Agency, for Serbia & Montenegro and former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) and two-year Multi-annual Indicative Programmes (Serbia & Montenegro, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia).

Article - By Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for Enlargement, "The bridge" (quarterly newspaper), 2006

Speech - by Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for Enlargement, Belgrade, 24 January 2005

Speech - by Chris Patten to German Bundestag, Berlin, 28 April 2004

Speech - by Chris Patten at the Western Balkans Forum, Thessaloniki, 11 April 2002
Speech - by Chris Patten at the Regional Conference for South Eastern Europe, Bucharest, 25 October 2001 (Opening statement, EC statement)
Speech - by Chris Patten at the International Crisis Group, Brussels, 10 July 2001

The Stability Pact, launched at the EU's initiative in June 1999, and embracing the countries of the region as well as others - including the US - is an important element in efforts to forge peace and democracy across the region as a whole. The Pact's three "tables" - which cover democracy and human rights, economic reconstruction, and security - aim to promote reform, reconstruction and regional co-operation. To maintain momentum, the European Union and its partners have stressed the need to demonstrate results quickly on the ground. The aim is to help the countries of South Eastern Europe to help themselves. If they are to have a chance to replicate Western Europe's renaissance after the Second World War, they must build strong institutions, create conditions for genuine private enterprise, fight corruption, create free media, and respect human rights, especially those of minorities.