Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-05-14-Speech-3-134"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-05-14"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:New Neighbours Initiative and The Wider Europe (continuation)2
dcterms:Language	"fi"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030514.7.3-134"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-05-14-Speech-3-1352
lpv:speaker	lp:Ulpu Iivari2
lpv:spokenAs	vice-chair; Delegation to the EU-Estonia Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-02-07--2004-04-30)3 member; Committee on Culture, Youth, Education, the Media and Sport (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 unknown; Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue/Finlands Socialdemokratiska Parti (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 treasurer; PES (2001-05-14--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, we live in a world where the better our neighbours and our other fellow human beings thrive, the better we also thrive. That is why it is important to cultivate a policy that strengthens democracy and prosperity in the Union’s neighbouring regions. When Finland joined the European Union the Union suddenly had Russia as its neighbour, sharing a border with that country which is almost 1 300 kilometres long. That border still represents one of the world’s widest gulfs between standards of living. Despite development, Russia still has much hard work to do in the creation of democratic social structures. The strengthening of democracy and civil society also remains a fundamental aim of cooperation between the EU and Russia. Enlargement means that, in addition to the border between Finland and Russia, the Union will be getting 10 new Interreg-TACIS borders. It will no longer be possible to maintain the current system of cooperation, but the experience we have had up till now of cooperation should be put to careful use. The new Member States will bring with them Belarus, Ukraine and Moldava as neighbours. Each of them has significant political and economic problems. If they get worse they could increase instability in Europe. The situation is worst in Belarus, where the political situation has hindered EU cooperation with the country. Hopefully preparations for the elections in 2004 will clear the way for what would at least be the first openings for cooperation. The Commission communication quite rightly stresses the importance of cross-border and regional cooperation with our new neighbours. A new financial instrument must be developed for cooperation. It should, in my opinion, be based on the Interreg principles and be flexible enough to meet the needs of each border region. The key principles are that it should be multiannual, that there should be power of decision in the regions, and that it should be organised as efficiently as possible with regard to its administration and making payments. It is also important that expertise and cultural know-how in the new Member States of the EU should be swiftly harnessed in the planning and implementation of policy towards our neighbours."@en1

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