“Any development enhancing prosperity, freedom, democracy and the rule of law in the southern and eastern neighbourhood of the European Union is in Germany’s and Europe’s own best interest.
I therefore welcome the proposals the EU Commission has made today aimed at giving the European Neighbourhood Policy a new direction. These proposals stress the concept of greater conditionality.
Even more than in the past, the EU needs to make support funding and incentives dependent on the readiness of our partner countries to embark upon reforms.”