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Regional Co-operation

Motion for a recommendation | Doc. 11592 | 22 April 2008

Signatories:
Mr Avet ADONTS, Armenia ; Ms Tina ACKETOFT, Sweden ; Mr Luc Van den BRANDE, Belgium, EPP/CD ; Mr Márton BRAUN, Hungary, EPP/CD ; Mr Igor CHERNYSHENKO, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Georges COLOMBIER, France, EPP/CD ; Mr Valeriu COSARCIUC, Republic of Moldova ; Mr Ignacio COSIDÓ GUTIÉRREZ, Spain ; Mr Mátyás EÖRSI, Hungary, ALDE ; Mr Joan Albert FARRÉ SANTURÉ, Andorra ; Ms Eva GARCÍA PASTOR, Andorra ; Ms Azra HADŽIAHMETOVIĆ, Bosnia and Herzegovina, ALDE ; Ms Karin HAKL, Austria, EPP/CD ; Mr Davit HARUTYUNYAN, Armenia, EDG ; Baroness Gloria HOOPER, United Kingdom ; Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Mr Anton KOKALJ, Slovenia ; Ms Yuliya L OVOCHKINA, Ukraine ; Ms Kerstin LUNDGREN, Sweden ; Mr Bernard MARQUET, Monaco, ALDE ; Ms Maia NADIRADZÉ, Georgia ; Ms Hermine NAGHDALYAN, Armenia, ALDE ; Ms Nino NAKASHIDZÉ, Georgia ; Mr Zsolt NÉMETH, Hungary ; Mr Kent OLSSON, Sweden ; Ms Antigoni PAPADOPOULOS, Cyprus ; Mr Viktor PLESKACHEVSKIY, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Ivan POPESCU, Ukraine, SOC ; Mr Maximilian REIMANN, Switzerland ; Mr Kimmo SASI, Finland, EPP/CD ; Mr Ivan SAVVIDI, Russian Federation, EDG ; Mr Mher SHAHGELDYAN, Armenia ; Mr Hansjörg WALTER, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Yury ZELENSKIY, Russian Federation, EDG
Origin
Referred to the Political Affairs Committee, for report, and to the Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs, for opinion: Reference No. 3454 (19th Sitting, 23 June 2008).
Thesaurus

Co-operation between countries located in a certain geopolitical sector of the world is essential for their sustainable development. Regional co-operation can accelerate the process of economic and social development for all participating countries. It is a necessary prerequisite for creating an area of peace, stability, and dialogue. Nowadays, alienation and isolation are not an option anymore and there is no alternative to regional co-operation, the positive outcomes of which are undeniable.

The Council of Europe has been hosting numerous discussions on regional co-operation. The most recent example is the issue of transfrontier co-operation presented during the January 2008 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. However, regional co-operation in the current international situation demands new approaches, in particular in the areas of conflict or strained relations.

Promoting regional co-operation in areas involving conflicts or tense relations, especially in terms of its confidence building potential, would be beneficial for Europe, where there are always processes of integration. The content of co-operation may vary from case to case but there are numerous ongoing projects of regional cooperation in Europe which can serve as an example.

Therefore, the Assembly calls on the member states of the Council of Europe and on the Committee of Ministers to:

  • discuss and elaborate new approaches to regional cooperation;
  • be more consistent in their will to establish regional co-operation models and in ensuring their compliance with existing realities;
  • design innovative methods of co-operation between countries engaged in conflicts or where there are strained relations;
  • urge international organisations to oversee the process of co-operation;
  • promote observation, planning and training for the countries willing to co-operate.