Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Since 2004, considerable efforts have been made through the EU's European neighbourhood policy, ENP, to offer our neighbours to the east a privileged relationship. This relationship is intended to build on a common commitment to democracy and human rights, the rule of law, good governance, market economy principles and sustainable development. Progress has been made in these areas, although different countries progress at their own pace. It is important to emphasise that the ENP remains distinct from EU membership. The EU nonetheless has a strong interest in ensuring peaceful and democratic development in the region, and most of the countries there wish to have closer relations with the EU. They have also had long relationships with Russia. The EU recognises this and at the same time believes that the countries' foreign relations are primarily a matter for themselves.

For its part, Ireland contributes between €8 million and €9 million annually to projects and programmes aimed at poverty alleviation, good governance, democratisation and the reform process in a number of countries in the region. I am greatly interested in developments in eastern Europe and the Caucasus and intend to visit the latter region later this month.

The recent European Council decided that proposals for a future "eastern partnership" of the ENP should be submitted by the Commission in November. This is likely to see a build-up of relations over the medium term, with further work being done in such areas as regulatory convergence, free trade agreements, enhanced people to people contacts, political co-operation and extended EU support for sectoral reforms in the countries covered. Some of these points are covered in the new EU-Ukraine association agreement, currently under negotiation, which is likely to serve as a model for advancing relations with other eastern European countries. This is the approach the EU will follow in the region in the period ahead.

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