Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-11-19-Speech-3-197"
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"en.20031119.8.3-197"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the Northern Dimension of the European Union’s external relations and cross-border activities is an important policy area for the Commission and it will become even more so with the forthcoming enlargement. The Commission continues to work actively on the Northern Dimension. In parallel to implementing the measures in the First Northern Dimension Action Plan, the Commission has played a decisive role in drafting the Second Action Plan for the region. This Second Action Plan covers the period 2004-2006.
As a follow-up to the preparatory work done by the Danish Presidency last year, the Commission carried out an open and integrated consultation process in the first half of 2003, involving the most important partners. This proved to be a very useful exercise. The Commission also took account of the European Parliament’s resolution of 16 January 2003. In June 2003, the Commission transmitted its proposals for the Second Action Plan to the Council. After discussing these, the Council adopted the final version of the document, which was approved by the European Council at its meeting in Brussels of 16 and 17 October 2003.
The main objective of the Second Action Plan is, in the interests of both sides, to provide an instrument for regional cooperation with our neighbours, the Russian Federation. In addition, the intention is for the Northern Dimension to address the opportunities and challenges that might arise from the forthcoming enlargement. In other words, it is intended to contribute to promoting stability and prosperity in this region, both inside and outside the borders of the European Union.
The Northern Dimension policy will also contribute directly to achieving the aims that we have just discussed in our debate on a wider Europe and the new neighbourhood. Finally, the new Action Plan will make a contribution to the sustainable development of the Arctic region and the indigenous peoples who live there.
In addition, the Commission has been working hard on the continued implementation of the First Action Plan. It should of course be concluded by the end of this year. In this context, several of the results that have been achieved most recently are worthy of mention, for example: the implementation of the first projects in the Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership, the signature of the Multilateral Nuclear Environment Programme in the Russian Federation and the extension of cross-border cooperation as part of the drafting of the first neighbourhood programmes following the Commission communication of July 2003.
Neither should we forget the large number of projects and specific initiatives implemented by the Commission that have already been completed or are still underway as part of Community programmes, which also contribute to making the Northern Dimension a reality. The 2003 Annual Progress Report on the implementation of the Northern Dimension Action Plan will provide a complete overview of all of the sectors in the First Action Plan. The Commission will be publishing this report in the coming weeks.
Finally, we should also remember the significant contribution made by other players, for example the Member States, regional organisations and regional and local authorities. Only with the active support of all of the stakeholders in the region can the Northern Dimension be a complete success. This is an aspect that we have particularly highlighted in the Second Action Plan. The Commission will obviously continue to keep Parliament informed about the implementation of the initiative, and we hope that Parliament will play an active part in the monitoring and review initiatives that will take place in the near future."@en1
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