North Macedonia Accession to the EU Delegates: Fiona Zhang Why this matters… The European Union’s aims: (quoted directly) - Promote peace - Offer freedom - Establish an internal market - Achieve sustainable development based on balanced economic growth - Respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity - Establish an economic and monetary union whose currency is the euro Our stances in the EU 2004: applied for EU membership 2005: granted EU candidate status 79% of North Macedonian’s citizens approves of EU accession Our Relation to the EU International Trade - EU accounts for 77.5% and 51% of NM’s exports and imports respectively Export commodities → ferronickel alloys, iron and steel, and textiles Import commodities → crude oil, electricity, and vehicle Our Relation to the EU Foreign entities and investment - Issued nearly 4000 thousands work permit, 573 of whom are European workers (FYR Macedonia, 2020) Net FDI flows reached up to USD 606 million (UNCTAD World Investment Report, 2022) 51 foreign companies (hotel, factories), most of which are from the EU (Balkan Insight, 2017) Our Achievement in European peace 1. Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) - NM is the first in Western Balkan to sign an SAA with the EU 2. Stances on Russia-Ukraine - Approved the UN’S General Assembly Resolution ES-11/1 Dismissed 11 Russian diplomats by March 2022 Sent lethal military aid to Ukraine e.g. tanks and aircrafts 3. EU’s commitment to support Afghanistan - NM participated in ISAF operation in August 2022 Temporarily hosted 800 Afghans fleeing from the Taliban Our Achievement in the Balkan 1. Bilateral Issues with Greece - Resolved name issue with Greece and agreed to change name to North Macedonia through the 2018 Prespa Agreement 2. Bilateral Issues with Bulgaria - Resolved issue with Bulgaria: agreed to recognise a Bulgarian minority 4. The Western Balkans Quad (WB QUAD) - Launched in March 2023 by Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia 100% alignment with EU Common Foreign Security Policy (CFSP) Our proposal ● By approving the accession of North Macedonia to the EU: ○ Maintains EU’s credibility as a host region for peace ○ Embraces EU’s commitment as a unified block democracy that share the same strategic values and goals ○ Boosts the improving peace in the West Balkan region Bibliography ● ● ● ● https://www.eeas.europa.eu/north-maced onia/european-union-and-north-macedo nia_en?s=229#:~:text=The%20EU%20is%2 0North%20Macedonia's,and%2051%25%20 of%20its%20imports. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/2 8/north-macedonia-orders-expulsion-of-fi ve-russian-diplomats https://international-partnerships.ec.euro pa.eu/countries/afghanistan_en https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news _196248.htm?selectedLocale=en ● https://www.france24.com/en/europe/202 20716-north-macedonia-lawmakers-appr ove-deal-with-bulgaria-to-clear-way-for-e u-membership-talks