14th EU-Russia Forum: “New Impulses for an EU-Russia Strategic Partnership”

Tuesday 16. February 09:30 - 19:30
Location: Madrid

 

The current challenges in the EU-Russia relations in the framework of the Spanish EU-presidency was the topic of the 14th EU-Russia Forum organized by the Centre Russia/Eurasia of the DGAP in cooperation with the Institute for Modern Development INSOR (Moscow) and the Real Instituto Elcano (Madrid) on the 16th of February in Madrid. Leading experts and politicians from Spain, Russia, the EU-countries and –institutions discussed on three panels issues of the modernization partnership, energy cooperation and security challenges between Russia and the EU. As an outcome the discussion showed, that after the Georgian war in 2008 and the gas crisis in 2009 especially as a consequence of the global financial crisis it could come to a rapprochement in the relations between Russia and the EU also on critical aspects.

In his presentation Igor Yurgens, Chairman of the Management board of INSOR, argued for strengthening of the topic of freedom of movement of capital, services and labor in the EU-Russia relations. Both sides should move forward with this topic, and first of all visa exemption is a topic of highest priority for Russia. Yurgens advocated for an early completion of a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Russia and the EU and a WTO-accession of his country. Sven-Olov Carlsson, Deputy Head of Unit Russia and Northern Dimension of the European Commission, emphasized, that also the EU has to manage modernization deficits. Therefore Russia and the EU should increase their modernization cooperation. It is important, to focus on common interests and goals, to develop a more effective bilateral policy.

In the panel on energy cooperation Joachim Pfeiffer, Spokesman for Energy Affairs of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, pointed out, the more pipelines in the EU are building, the better it is for the Union. In the EU-German relations especially energy is an example of positive interdependence. Jacque the Jong, Senior Fellow at Clingendael International Energy Programme in The Hague described the mutual perception as a main problem in the energy relations between Russia and the EU. Both sides have sent each other the wrong signals which led to a large number of misunderstandings. Russia and the EU should increase their cooperation not only in the gas sector, but also develop a common global energy strategy. Margarita Hoffmann, project coordinator for Nord Stream at the Wintershall Holding AG sees as a problem for the relations between Russia and the EU first of all a lack of serious projects which could help to increase confidence building.

In the last panel Vladimir Voronkov, Director of the European Cooperation Department of the Russian MFA, pointed out, that the lack of trust is still the main challenge in the EU-Russia relations. If these problems will be solved, negotiations in problematic policy fields can be successful. Karl-Georg Wellmann, Committee on Foreign Affairs in the German Bundestag, described as an important task for the EU policy, the development of the states between Russia and the EU. Russia should be more open for a constructive policy towards its Western neighbors and provide cooperation offers to Poland and the Baltic States. Fedor Lukjanov, Editor in Chief of Russia in Global Affairs, finally pointed out that as well Russia as the EU is losing in the global competition at the moment. While Brussels and Moscow discuss their regional problems, states like China create precedents. Only a closer cooperation between the EU and Russia and a better synchronization of their common interests can help to stop this development.