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| Dionis Cenuşa | |
In the second half of 2016, Slovakia will hold the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, where the main protagonists are the national governments of the EU member states. The efforts of the presidency will be focused on four major goals: 1) A more powerful European economy; 2) modernization of the common market; 3) a sustainable migration and asylum policy; 4) a more active Europe at international level.
Influenced by anti-migration rhetoric, as other countries of the Visegrad group, Slovakia will plead for more ‘flexibility’ and less ‘bureaucratic order’ on the part of Brussels amid the refugee crisis. The Slovak authorities promised to challenge the EU approaches to the refugee issue, in particular the one concerning the distribution quotas and sanctions for their non-implementation. However, Bratislava promises to pursue a ‘positive agenda’ and to exclude the subjects that can encourage new fragmentation inside the EU.
It should be noted that the Presidency of the EU before Slovakia was held by the Netherlands (January – June 2016). The Dutch Presidency was marked by at least three major events: the negative referendum on the EU – Ukraine Association Agreement; critical moments in the problem of refugees; and the plebiscite in the UK that was won by the anti-EU forces. Except for the problem of refugees, where the flow of persons became again controllable, the referendums in the Netherlands and the UK are ‘problematic” issues inherited by Slovakia. The major emphasis, which was already expressed by the Slovak presidency, will be placed on Brexit, which will most probably eclipse the Slovak Presidency.
The objectives pursued by the Slovak Presidency intersect with Moldova’s interests in a number of areas. In this regard, we speak about the intentions to reinvigorate the European economy, to restore the Schengen Area that existed before the refugee crisis and to support the Associations Agreements with the EaP countries.
Slovakia sets ambitious and important objectives
Slovakia does not annul the actions started by its predecessor, but continues them and adjusts, renews and supplements them with new aspects. All the EU Presidencies work based on this principle. In other words, the agendas of the Presidencies are perfectly compatible and follow the logic of multilateral cooperation, without which the EU will be unable to work properly.
During the last six months of 2016, the Presidency of the Netherlands was powerfully consumed by the migrant crisis that is at the top of the agenda, followed by innovations and creation of jobs, consolidation of finances and the Eurozone and advancement of the climatic, environment and energy policies.
As the Netherlands, Slovakia will focus on the development of the common market and of economic and monetary integration projects. Furthermore, Bratislava will devote attention to the energy security by promoting the Energy Union of the EU. The enhancement of coherence between the EU actions at external level, based on the new Global Strategy of the EU that was published at the end of this June, will represent a separate subject. Besides increasing transparency within the EU, which was a principle that was broadly applied during the Dutch Presidency, Slovakia committed itself to be more visible to the European citizens, delivering as tangible results as possible.
A Europe with a powerful economy. The Slovak Presidency sees this objective as a top priority. To achieve it, greater concentration of investments on economic growth and on its conversion into jobs is intended. An important role is devoted to the European Fund for Strategic Investments (of about €315 billion), the European Structural and Investment Funds and private investments and to the extension and completion of the process of constituting the Economic and Monetary Union, planned to be completed until 2025, by harmonizing the fiscal policies and by economic convergence between the EU countries in the Eurozone. Moreover, to facilitate access to new financial resources for European SMEs, the Slovak Presidency will continue the project to unify the capital markets of the EU.
Modernization of the common EU market. They aim to continuously develop the Energy Union that so that this offers accessible prices, safe supplies and sources of sustainable energy. The common digital market is also among the priorities and the goal is to advance the online services for businesses and people. When the barriers to the digital market are eliminated, the free movement of data will become the fifth freedom of movement (after that of goods, persons, services and capital). Moreover, measures will be taken to ensure better administration of natural resources and, respectively, sustainable growth, by transposing the circular flow of economic activities.
Sustainable migration and asylum polices. This objective envisions a Europe involved in the sustainable administration of migration and no so excessively in the management of migration crises. The restoration of the Schengen Area, launching of the European Border Guard and more active application of the smart borders principle are also among the priorities of Bratislava. Besides, the cooperation with the transit countries and countries of origin of migrants and refugees remains topical. The goal is to reduce the flow of migrants by eliminating the cause of migration and stabilizing the situation in the Western Balkans. The Slovak presidency wants to contribute to debates on the common asylum policy that, according to Bratislava, must be assumed by consensus and must not be imposed. This approach coincides with the common position of the Visegrad countries, which vehemently oppose the introduction of obligations and sanctions for the non-distribution of refugees.
A Europe active at foreign level. Bratislava intends to make an external approach during its presidency and to take the first steps towards transposing the EU Global Strategy. The last provision envisions a global commitment of the EU and internal political unity so as to contribute to promoting peace and stability. This envisions a Europe focused on the protection of international order, where the international standards and norms are respected, including in the area of human rights. The Slovak presidency plans to contribute to the better coordination of the EU actions at external level, connecting these with the internal security instruments existing in the EU. The stabilization of the Eastern and Southern neighborhood is an objective emphasized by Bratislava.
Moldova and possible positive effects of Slovak agenda
The economic recovery of Europe, strengthening of the EU Energy Union and restoration of the functionality of the Schengen Area are only some of the objectives to which Bratislava wants to contribute by the end of 2017. Certainly, these will have beneficial effects on all the commercial partners of the EU, including Moldova. Thus, an economic growth of at least 1% in the EU will stimulate internal consumption, creating preconditions for more imports into Moldova or for improving the flow of remittances from the EU.
In particular, the advantages that Moldova will gain from the Slovak Presidency derive from its interest in stabilizing the Eastern neighborhood. This aims mainly to stabilize Ukraine given that the more unstable Ukraine is, the greater are the political, diplomatic and financial resources that this requires from the EU. Consequently, fewer resources are available for the other countries of the EaP, including Moldova. Moreover, the stabilization of Ukraine will have beneficial effects on the European integration all over the Eastern Partnership, stimulating also the commercial relations.
Thus, Bratislava pledges to promote a more effective European Neighborhood Policy where differentiation plays a central role. In particular, the signatories of the Association Agreements (Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine) will benefit from support for doing reforms. This aspect is very clearly defined in the program of action of the Slovak Presidency.
Russia is somewhere between the rows
No explicit references were made to Russia, even if the Slovak Presidency noted the transatlantic relations, the dialogue with NATO, the relationship with Turkey, etc. However, there are several moments that involve Russia indirectly and rather from a negative perspective.
First of all, they speak implicitly about Russia when they insist on the advancement of the Energy Union project. Thus, they ultimately must ensure safe, sustainable supplies at accessible prices by more powerful energy interconnection inside the EU. These aspects bother the Russian energy sector.
At the same time, Russia reappears in the program of the Slovak Presidency when it is about the stabilization of the Eastern neighborhood. It is clear that they refer to the situation in Ukraine, which has been destabilized by Russia since 2014. For these actions, the latter one is subject to a series of political and economic sanctions on the part of the EU, which were recently extended until this autumn and, respectively, until next January.
Instead of conclusion
Surely, the Slovak agenda is very ambitious, but, together with the EU institutions, Slovakia must produce as visible results for the European people as possible as these are more often discouraged from believing in the European project. Brexit makes thinks more difficult for the Slovak Presidency. The defects of the European project will be more often signaled by the Euroskeptical forces that want to replicate the British scenario in as many European capitals as possible.
Among the main problems with which the Slovak Presidency will be preoccupied are those related to the Eastern Partnership. In particular, Bratislava is predisposed to devote attention to the support for the states that signed the Association Agreement, but nothing will be offered to Moldova or the other states as long as the homework is not done.
The Moldovan authorities have neither time nor favorable circumstances to cheat in the relationship with the EU. The Dutch referendum against the Association Agreement with the EU and the unofficial postponement of the liberalization of visas for Georgia and Ukraine show that the political decisions in the EU become more unpredictable. This reveals that the ‘romantic period’ in the relationship between the EU and the Eastern neighborhood is over. The efforts needed to develop the dialogue with the EU will have to be considerably stepped up. From now on, Moldova, as Georgia and Ukraine, will have to convince not only the EU institutions and national governments of the EU member states, but also the opposition, which is often Euroskeptical, and the citizens of the EU. For the purpose, Moldova must perfectly implement the Association Agreement that fully took effect on July 1 this year.
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