Russia
- The Russian flag and emblem (Photo: Russian government)
Russia
Has a population of 143 million and an area of 17 million km2.
The legal basis for EU relations with Russia is the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement of 1994. The EU has laid down its basic approach to Russia in a, so-called, common strategy adopted in 1999.
Technical assistance is provided to support agreed objectives, through the TACIS programme.
A number of specific trade agreements, as well as agreements on science and technology, have also been concluded.
Most politicians in the EU, as well as the EU Commission, do not see Russia as a future EU Member State. The opposition towards Russian membership is primarily for political reasons related to Russia’s large population. Instead of membership, the EU proposes a special partnership agreement.
In 2002, the EU and Russia agreed on a special visa formula for Russian citizens travelling from the Russian enclave, Kaliningrad, through Lithuania to Russia.
In 2014, the EU decided sanctions on Russia because of their annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The civil war in the eastern part of Ukraine with Russian speaking citizens led to further sanctions.
Links
http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/russia/index_en.htm
