Welcome to BECSA!

Preparation of
BRIEFING PAPERS AND RESEARCH STUDIES
for the Foreign Affairs Committee
of the European Parliament

project coordinated by the Trans-European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA)
with the participation of other institutions from the network

Contents:

1. Papers written by BECSA members on the European Neighbourhood Policy and Black Sea regional cooperation

2. The presentation of BECSA's studies in Brussels on 04.10.2007

3. Papers written by BECSA members on EU-Russian relations

4. Joint BECSA-TEPSA publication on the common EU-Russia spaces

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Under a framework contract with the European Parliament, the Trans-European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA), with the support of its member institutes, including BECSA, has delivered many reports on specific issues within the scope of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), which have been commissioned by the Foreign Affairs (AFET) Committee of the European Parliament. In 2007-2008, BECSA members have contributed to the preparation of research studies and expert briefings on the European Neighbourhood Policy, prospects for Black Sea regional cooperation and EU-Russia relations.

1. Papers written by BECSA members on the European Neighbourhood Policy and Black Sea regional cooperation

BECSA took part in this project by preparing four briefing papers and research studies on the ENP and regional cooperation in the Black Sea area.

“Regional cooperation in the Black Sea Area: Analysis of the Opportunities to Foster Synergies in the Region”
Lead author: Krassimir Y. Nikolov, BECSA and VFU "Chernorizec Hrabar"
co-author: Burcu Gültekin-Punsmann, Middle East Technical University in Ankara

“Ensuring Democracy and Effective Human Rights Protection in the Black Sea Region”
Author: Elitsa Markova, BECSA and Open Society Institute in Sofia

“The Area of Freedom, Security and Justice and the Black Sea Region”
Author: Vladimir Shopov, BECSA and "Alpha Research" sociological research agency

“The Eastern EU Neighbourhood: How to enhance the EU’s partners’ ownership of the ENP”
Author: Krassimir Y. Nikolov, BECSA and VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar"

2. The presentation of the BECSA’s studies in Brussels on 4 October 2007

On 4 October 2007 the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament held a special hearing on the forthcoming own initiative report focusing on the Black Sea area. It is the Parliament's response to the European Commission's strategy paper "Black Sea Synergy" of April 2007. Ms Roberta Alma Anastase, MEP (EPP, Romania), will be responsible for this report. The European Parliament invited Krassimir Nikolov, Vladimir Shopov and Burcu Gultekin, authors of briefing papers and research studies, to take part in the hearings and present their conclusions.

Programme

European Parliament / Committee on Foreign Affairs

‹‹ Exchange of views with experts ››

04 October 2007 / 10.00-12.30

Rapporteur: Roberta Alma Anastase

1. Working document
on a Black Sea Regional Policy Approach
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Presented by Roberta Alma Anastase, MEP
2. Study: “Regional cooperation in the Black sea area”,
prepared by Krassimir Nikolov and Burcu Gültekin-Punsmann
3. Briefing: “Black Sea Regional Policy Approach: a potential contributor to European
energy security”,
prepared by Burcu Gültekin-Punsmann
4. Briefing: “The Area of Freedom, Security and Justice and the Black Sea Region” ,
preparedby VladimirShopov
5. Discussions and questions from the members of the European Parliament

From left: Roberta Alma Anastase (MEP), Vladimir Shopov,
Burcu Gultekin, Krassimir Nikolov

From left: Krassimir Nikolov, Roberta Alma Anastase (MEP),
Burcu Gultekin, Vladimir Shopov

3. Papers written by BECSA members on EU-Russia relations

In the autumn of 2008, the Foreign Affairs committee of the European Parliament commissioned the elaboration of expert briefings on the four common EU-Russian spaces (common economic space, common space on freedom, security and justice, common space on external security, common space on science, education and culture) and on the effectiveness of EU financial assistance to Russia. BECSA members wrote the following papers:

“Implementation of the EU-Russia four common spaces - external security”

Author: Vladimir Shopov, BECSA & "Sophia Analytica",

“Implementation of the EU-Russia four common spaces - science, education and culture”

Author: Krassimir Nikolov, BECSA & Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar",

Note: The texts of all research studies and briefing papers can be found on the website of the European Parliament.

4. Joint BECSA-TEPSA publication on the common EU-Russia spaces

The participation of BECSA members in the preparation of research papers on the common EU-Russia spaces led to BECSA's initiative to publish all relevant papers together, in a single volume. This resulted in a publication of BECSA, in cooperation with TEPSA, entitled "Assessing the Common Spaces between the European Union and Russia". It was edited by KRASSIMIR NIKOLOV, and the foreword to the book was written by Dr. JACEK SARYUSZ-WOLSKI, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament. The publication was financed within the EU-CONSENT project (проект ЕС-КОНСЕНТ) of the Sixth Framework Programme.
The full text of the book in English can be downloaded HERE, and the summaries of book chapters in Russian can be downloaded HERE.
The publication was officially presented in Brussels, in March 2009, in Moscow and in Sofia, in April 2009. Details of these book promotions (with programmes and photos) are available HERE.

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