EU/Azerbaijan Framework Agreement: general principles for the participation of Azerbaijan in Union programmes. Protocol to the EC/Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement

The Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the report by Norica NICOLAI (ADLR, RO) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, of the other part, on a Framework Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the general principles for the participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Union programmes.

The committee recommended the European Parliament to give its consent to the conclusion of the Protocol.

To recall, the aim of the Protocol is to lay down financial and technical rules enabling Azerbaijan to participate in certain European Union Programmes open to third countries.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan is an important energy partner for the EU. However, the importance of EU-Azerbaijan relations is not limited to energy security, and the relevance of this partnership should be considered in the context of all aspects of cooperation envisaged in the framework of Eastern Partnership. Rule of law, human rights and democracy remain core principles on which relations of the EU with third countries should be based on. In this context, the framework agreement under consideration aims to promote cooperation in sectors and foster people-to-people contacts which should be beneficial for the society.