Estonia presents strong credentials

TALLINN -  While speaking in Riigikogu on Feb. 11 about European Union matters as they concern the primary issues of Estonian foreign policy, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet brought up Estonia’s candidacy to be the location for the EU IT Agency for Justice and Home Affairs. “Estonia presented its official application to become the host country of the EU’s IT Agency for Justice and Home Affairs just before Christmas. During Spain’s presidency, we are looking forward to a meaningful discussion that will hopefully lead to the making of a final decision, and the launching of the agency’s work by as early as 2012,” said Paet.

“In the six years that Estonia has been a member of the European Union, we have learned a lot, and others have been able to learn from us. Among other things, our accession experience has proven to be useful for others integrating with the EU,” said Paet. “Estonia’s opportunities to pass on our transition experience will increase even more when the European Commission completes the overview of the member states’ transition experiences – The Transition Compendium – in the compiling of which Estonia actively participated,” Paet added.
Paet stated that Estonia maintains its constant policy of supporting EU enlargement.

“It is heartening that the European Union accepted three accession applications last year - from Albania, Iceland, and Serbia,” Paet explained. The foreign minister also added that it is essential that the enlargement process continues on a fair basis, remaining dependent on the progress being made by each individual candidate state.
In his speech, Paet emphasized the importance of the European Union Eastern Partnership. In the spring of 2009, Eastern Partnership became an official policy of the European Union. “Estonia supports bringing relations between the European Union and its Eastern Partners to the next level. Here we especially have in mind the concluding of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements (DCFTA), the ultimate objective being a common free trade area,” said Paet.

According to Paet, there is a plan to establish an Eastern Partnership Training Center in Tallinn to give practical support to Eastern partners. “The first full-scale training seminar will take place already this April. In the longer perspective, we are prepared to establish an Eastern Partnership training center here in Tallinn, similar to the Mediterranean Academy in Malta,” said Paet.

In talking about the Treaty of Lisbon and the European External Action Service in his speech, Paet said that the implementation of the treaty and the establishment of a common foreign service are in Estonia’s hands. “With the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union’s foreign policy will become more unified and therefore also more influential globally,” said Paet. “This is why we support the establishment of a strong and comprehensive European Union External Action Service,” he added. Paet says that the current objective is to make a decision concerning the creation of an all-encompassing foreign service by this April and to have it fully staffed by 2012. “This means that in the following months there will be a lot of practical and fast-paced work to do,” Paet emphasized.

The foreign minister also emphasized Estonia’s active participation in the European Union court system. Paet said that in 2009, Estonia successfully defended its interests in the European Union’s legal system. “From among several court cases, it is worth highlighting our case versus the European Commission concerning the sugar fine and the matter of greenhouse gas quotas,” Paet noted. “With both court cases we have acquired experience which will help us to defend our positions in the European Union’s Court of Justice in the future,” he added.