European Union Association Agreement

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A European Union Association Agreement (for short, Association Agreement or AA) is a treaty between the European Union (EU) and a non-EU country that creates a framework for co-operation between them. Areas frequently covered by such agreements include the development of political, trade, social, cultural and security links. The legal base for the conclusion of the association agreements is provided by art. 217 TFEU (former art. 310 TEC).

Contents

[edit] Overview

The provision of an association agreement was inserted in the Treaty of Rome on the EEC as a mean to ensure future cooperation of the Community with the United Kingdom, who had retreated from the negotiation at the Messina Conference of 1955. The first partners to benefit from the signature of such agreements were, in reality, Greece and Turkey in 1960.

The EU today typically concludes Association Agreements in exchange for commitments to political, economic, trade, or human rights reform in a country. In exchange, the country may be offered tariff-free access to some or all EU markets (industrial goods, agricultural products, etc.), and financial or technical assistance. Most recently signed AAs also include a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and the third country.

Association Agreements have to be ratified by all the EU member states.

In recent history, such agreements are signed as part of two EU policies: Stabilisation and Association Process (SAp) and European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The countries of the western Balkans are covered by SAp and the EU signs with them "Stabilisation and Association Agreements" (SAA). The countries of the Mediterranean and the East European EU neighbours (including South Caucasus, but excluding Russia that insists on creating four EU-Russia Common Spaces) are covered by ENP. Both the SAA and ENP AP are based mostly on the EU's acquis communautaire and its promulgation in the cooperating states legislation. Of course the depth of the harmonisation is less than for full EU members and some policy areas may not be covered (depending on the particular state).

In addition to these two policies AAs with Free Trade Agreement provisions are signed with other states and trade blocs in the world like Chile, Mexico, South Africa and others.

[edit] Stabilisation and Association process

The Stabilisation and Association process covers official candidates Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, applicant Albania, and potential candidates Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo[a].

[edit] European Neighbourhood Policy

The European Neighbourhood Policy covers Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Russia (through the formation of EU-Russia Common Spaces).

[edit] EU Agreements with third states

[edit] Agreements with FTA provisions

EU Free trade agreements

[edit] Currently undergoing ratification

[edit] Currently in negotiations

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Other Agreements

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Currently in negotiations

  • Belarus PCA, ratification stalled in 1997
  • Turkmenistan PCA, ratification in progress
  • Indonesia PCA negotiations in progress in 2009, concluded and waiting to be signed
  • Vietnam PCA negotiations in progress in 2009
  • Thailand PCA negotiations in progress in 2009
  • Singapore PCA negotiations in progress in 2009
  • Philippines PCA negotiations in progress in 2009
  • Malaysia PCA negotiations in progress in 2009

[edit] Defunct Agreements

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

a.   ^ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. The latter declared independence on 17 February 2008, but Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. Kosovo's independence has been recognised by 99 out of 193 United Nations member states.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Addressed by the EU as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"
  2. ^ "Ukraine, EU Initial Deep And Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement With EU". Ukrainian News Agency. 2012-07-20. Retrieved 2012-07-29. 
  3. ^ EU criticizes Ukraine's Oct. 28 parliamentary election, Kyiv Post (12 November 2012)
  4. ^ Ukraine's jailed Tymoshenko calls off hunger strike, Kyiv Post (16 November 2012)
  5. ^ EU leaders:Ratification of Association Agreement and DCFTA depends on settlement of Tymoshenko-Lutsenko issue, Kyiv Post (20 July 2012)
  6. ^ Ukraine's Lutsenko jailed for 4 years (updated), Kyiv Post (27 February 2012)
  7. ^ "Armenia". European External Action Service. Retrieved 2013-01-26. 
  8. ^ "Azerbaijan". European External Action Service. Retrieved 2013-01-26. 
  9. ^ "India". European Commission. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  10. ^ "EU, Georgia Making 'Good Progress' in Association Agreement, Visa Liberalization Talks". Civil Georgia. 2012-09-03. Retrieved 2012-09-03. 
  11. ^ "EU - Moldova Association Agreement". European External Action Service. Retrieved 2013-01-26. 

[edit] External links

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