Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if revisions of the EU neighbourhood policy are completed; if discussions with Egypt and Lebanon have been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26921/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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To date, action plans under the European neighbourhood policy, ENP, have been agreed with Israel, Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Tunisia and Ukraine. Discussions on action plans with Egypt and Lebanon are continuing. It is hoped that it may be possible to conclude these before the end of 2005 but this depends on progress. The General Affairs and External Relations Council in April authorised the Commission to work jointly with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to prepare action plans. This work is also in hand.

In October 2004, the Commission presented a proposal for a dedicated financial instrument, the European neighbourhood and partnership instrument, ENPI, to replace existing European Community assistance programmes for the countries and regions covered by the ENP. The ENPI is part of a series of proposals for financial instruments to support the EU's external relations for the budgetary period 2007 to 2013 which the Commission has submitted to Council and Parliament. The aim of the Commission's proposals is to simplify the delivery of assistance, facilitate coherence and consistency of external actions and achieve better and more with the resources available. These proposals remain under discussion and have yet to be fully agreed.

The ENPI should provide increased and more targeted financial assistance in the future. It will have a specific focus on cross-border and intra-regional co-operation. All countries covered by the ENP, as well as Russia, will be eligible for support under this instrument.

Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner has described 2005 as the "year of delivery" for the European neighbourhood policy, the challenge being to turn the commitments and aspirations contained in the action plans into reality, through measurable reforms bringing concrete benefits for the countries involved. Deputies will be aware that the ENP is designed to strengthen relations between the EU and those neighbouring countries that do not have the prospect of EU membership. The prospect of an increasingly close relationship with the EU, involving a significant degree of economic integration and a deepening of political co-operation, is offered to these countries in return for concrete progress in the implementation of political, economic and institutional reforms reflecting shared values.