Secretary of State Peter Stenlund to the ENP Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Barcelona

Press release 99/2015
10 April 2015

Secretary of State Peter Stenlund represents Finland at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), held in Barcelona on Monday, 13 April. At the meeting, the Southern ENP partner countries will present their views and hopes concerning the review of the neighbourhood policy.

Important themes for Finland in the review of the neighbourhood policy include the strengthening of common values, i.e. democracy, the rule of law and human rights, partner countries’ ownership, incentives rewarding positive developments, support for civil society, and – especially in the Southern Neighbouring countries – women’s possibilities to participate.

The third review of the European Neighbourhood Policy was launched in March with a consultation paper drawn up by the Commission and the European External Action Service. The ENP supports political and economic reforms in sixteen of the EU’s neighbour countries. The aim is to promote peace, stability and economic prosperity. Created in 2004, the ENP is divided between the South and the East. The South comprises Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and the occupied Palestinian Territory. The Eastern Partnership countries are Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Review of the Eastern Partnership will continue at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg on 20 April and at the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga on 21–22 May.

Additional information: Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen, Head of the Unit for the Middle East and North Africa, tel. +358 295 351 851.

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