Agreement of stabilization and association
A agreement of stabilization and association ( ASA ) is a International treaty signed between the European Union and an applicant country with the Union, within the framework of the strategy of préadhésion (in order to facilitate future adhesion). This agreement proceeds in several stages:
The various stages towards adhesion arise according to the following order:
- the negotiations relating to the agreements of stabilization and association (ASA) can open only if the country concerned is sufficiently stable. The European commission draws up a report/ratio of feasibility then and recommends the opening of the negotiations to the Council of the Union.
- the ASA prepare the States with a future adhesion by introducing the community rules ( the asset ) into various fields. The conclusion of a ASA proves the capacity of a country to be maintained the thorough relationships to the Union. Two were already concluded, respectively with the Ancienne Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Croatia, which have from now on the statute of country-candidates to the Union. The Albania signed a ASA on June 12th, 2006 in Luxembourg, first stage of one adhesion to the Union. This agreement of stabilization and association regulates the relations between the EU and the Republic of Albania as well as the political and economic co-operation and envisages the creation of a zone of free trade between the EU and Albania in the ten next years. The Serbia-and-Montenegro, before its scission in June 2006, opened negotiations in this direction and the Bosnia-Herzégovine prepares there.
- the conclusion of a ASA can be followed by an application to join. On opinion of the Commission, the Union can grant to the applicant the statute applicant country and politically recognize the close relationship tied between it and this country.