Local Border Traffic as a Form of Visa Liberalisation and Territorial Development
DOI:
10.5922/2074-2079-8555-4-2
Russia
European Union
visa-free regime
local border traffic
border crossing
energy supply
cooperation
Abstract
This article addresses the issue of visa liberalisation between Russia and the European Union, which constitutes a key aspect of the parties’ diplomatic cooperation. This work sets out to identify the main results of Russia/EU cooperation. The authors have conducted a brief historical analysis of this area of relations. The visa “regionalisation” is considered in the context of identifying the key actors of the EU — Russia negotiations: the Kaliningrad region, Germany, Poland, and Lithuania. In their analysis, the authors rely mostly on primary sources: intergovernmental agreements on simplified border traffic, border-crossing statistics for the Kaliningrad region in the framework of the local border traffic, expert interviews, and related analytic reports. Specifically, local border traffic is viewed as the most effective form of interaction in the field of visa regime simplification and border territory development. An assessment of the positions of key negotiators shows that local border traffic between the Kaliningrad region of Russia and the Polish border voivodeships is a success, which stresses the need for a prompt transition to a visa-free regime with the EU.
1. Angela Merkel': vizovyj rezhim dlja Kaliningradskoj oblasti mozhet byt' otmenen [Angela Merkel: the visa regime for the Kaliningrad region can be canceled], 2010, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, available at: http://www.rg.ru/2010/09/07/viza-anons.html (accessed 29.08.2014).
2. Bezgranichnye vozmozhnosti [Endless possibilities], 2013, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, available at: http://rg.ru/2013/07/02/reg-szfo/graniza.html (accessed 27.10.2013).
3. Pol'sha zhdet bolee intensivnyh kontaktov s novym gubernatorom Kaliningradskoj oblasti [Poland is waiting for more intensive contacts with the new governor of the Kaliningrad region], 2010, Kaliningrad.ru, available at: http://kgd.ru/news/item/6930 (accessed 29.08.2014).
4. Stepovyk, M. 2010, «Vejmarskij treugol'nik» za rasshirenie sotrudnichestva mezhdu ES i Rossiej ["Weimar Triangle" for the expansion of cooperation between the EU and Russia], Deutsche Welle, available at: http://www.dw. de/a-5724846 (accessed 29.08.2014).
5. Voinikov, V., Korneev, O. 2013, Problems and prospects of EU — Russia dialogue on visa-free travel, Balt. Reg., no. 3 (17), p. 14—26. DOI: 10.5922/2079-8555- 2013-3-2.
6. V Pol'she udivleny, chto Litva uzhe davno tormozit otkrytie prigranichnogo bezvizovogo dvizhenija s Rossiej [In Poland surprised that Lithuania has long inhibits the opening of cross-border visa-free movement with Russia], 2010, Regnum, available at: http://www.regnum.ru/news/polit/1314519.html#ixzz3BnL4Tka3 (accessed 26.10.2013).
7. Sayapina, O. 2014, V Pol'shu mozhno budet i na poezde [In Poland will be on the train], Strana Kaliningrad, available at: http://strana. klops.ru/news/Zhizn-Kaliningradai-oblasti/82935/V-Poljsu-mozno-budet-i-na-poezde.html (accessed 21.08.2014).
8. Granica procvetaet. Dva goda MPP [The border is booming. Two years of small frontier movement], 2014, Pol'skij kul'turnyj centr v Kaliningrade [Polish Cultural Center in Kaliningrad], available at: http://www.polska-kaliningrad.ru/home/10-newsfrompoland/3660-granitsa-protsvetaet-dva-goda-mpp (accessed 31.08.2014).
9. Zhabrev, А. А., Leontieva, А. N., Mezhevich, N. М. 2011, Razvitie prigranichnogo sotrudnichestva — cel' i sovokupnost' zadach strategicheskogo razvitija Severo-Zapada Rossijskoj Federacii [Development of cross-border cooperation — a goal and a set of strategic objectives of the North-West of the Russian Federation], Pskovskij regionologicheskij zhurnal [Pskov regionologichesky Journal], no. 2, p. 3—9.
10. Lavrov: Litva «ne ochen' aktivna» v voprose bezvizovogo rezhima [Lavrov: Lithuania "not very active" in the issue of visa-free regime], 2011, Delfi, available at: http://ru.delfi. lt/news/politics/lavrov-litva-ne-ochen-aktivna-v-voprose-bezvizovogo-rezhima.d?id=42855967 (accessed 26.10.2013).
11. Litva zamorozila peregovory o malom prigranichnom peredvizhenii s Kaliningradskoj oblast'ju [Lithuania has frozen talks on border movement of the Kaliningrad region], 2014, Rosbalt, available at: http://www.rosbalt.ru/kaliningrad/2014/06/09/1278562.html (accessed 31.08.2014).
12. Litva ne zhelaet bezvizovogo rezhima s Kaliningradom [Lithuania does not want to visa-free regime with Kaliningrad], 2010, Rosbalt, available at: http://m.rosbalt.ru/main/2010/08/09/760618.html (accessed 29.08.2014).
13. Mezhevich, N., Zhuk, N. 2013, Cross-border Specialization of Interregional Interaction: Applying New Assessment Methods, Balt. Reg., no. 1 (15), p. 27—36. DOI: 10.5922/2079-8555-2013-1-3.
14. MID Litvy: predlozhenija Pol'shi ne sootvetstvujut trebovanijam Shengena [Lithuanian Foreign Minister: Poland proposals do not meet the requirements of the Schengen], 2010, Newkaliningrad. Ru, available at: http://www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/politics/k1119062.html (accessed 26.10.2013).
15. Soglashenie mezhdu Rossijskoj Federaciej i Evropejskim soobshhestvom ob uproshhenii vydachi viz grazhdanam Rossijskoj Federacii i Evropejskogo sojuza [Agreement between the Russian Federation and the European Community on the facilitation of the issuance of visas to citizens of the Russian Federation and the European Union], 2006, 29 May, Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, available at: http://www.mid.ru/Brp_4.nsf/arh/D2FDBE95F19D148EC325717D002FFDCC (accessed 29.08.2014).
16. Moskva i Varshava prizvali ES otkryt' granicy s Kaliningradskoj oblast'ju [Moscow and Warsaw called on the EU to open the border with the Kaliningrad region], 2010, Deutsche Welle, available at: http://rus. delfi. ee/daily/abroad/moskva-ivarshava-prizvali-es-otkryt-granicy-s-kaliningradskoj-oblastyu.d?id=30297729 (accessed 29.08.2014).
17. Pol'sha vystupaet za vizovye l'goty zhiteljam Kaliningradskoj oblasti [Poland supports visa privileges to residents of the Kaliningrad Region], 2010, Kaliningrad.ru, available at: http://kgd.ru/news/item/5940 (accessed 29.08.2014).
18. Poljaki hotjat razvivat' maloe prigranichnoe peredvizhenie po vode [Poles want to develop a small border traffic on the water], 2013, Kaliningrad.ru, available at: http://kgd.ru/news/item/26951-polyaki-hotyat-razvivat-maloe-prigranichnoe-peredvizhenie-po-vode (accessed 27.10.2013).
19. Posol Pol'shi: poljaki i rossijane dolzhny imet' shans ponjat' drug druga [Ambassador of Poland: Poles and Russians should have the chance to understand each other], 2014, RIA Novosti, available at: http://ria.ru/interview/20140812/1019699889.html#ixzz3Bzi2hKdY (accessed 31.08.2014).
20. Potemkina, О. Yu. 2012, Problema doverija Rossii i ES v ramkah obshhego prostranstva svobody, bezopasnosti i pravosudija [The problem of trust Russia and the EU in the framework of the common space of freedom, security and justice]. In: Kaveshnikov, N. Yu., Kondratyeva, N. B. Evropejskij Sojuz v XXI veke: vremja ispytanij [The European Union in the XXI century: the test], Moscow, Ves' mir, p. 500—518.
21. Press-konferencija po itogam vstrechi na vysshem urovne Rossija — Evropejskij sojuz [Press conference following the summit Russia — EU], 2010, Portal of the President of the Russian Federation, available at: http://www.kremlin.ru/transcripts/ 9730 (accessed 29.08.2014).
22. Reglament (ES) № 1931/2006 Evropejskogo parlamenta i Soveta ot 20 dekabrja 2006 g. ob ustanovlenii pravil v otnoshenii malogo pogranichnogo dvizhenija na vneshnih suhoputnyh granicah gosudarstv-chlenov i ob izmenenii polozhenij Shengenskoj konvencii [Regulation (EC) № 1931/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the establishment of rules on local border traffic at the external land borders of the Member States and to amend the provisions of the Schengen Convention], 2006, Evropejskij Sojuz i Rossija. Zakonodatel'stvo i praktika [The European Union and Russia. Law and Practice], available at: http://eu-law.ru/2011/06/reglament-es-o-malom-pogranichnom-dvizhenii/accessed 29.08.2014).
23. Rozhkov-Yuryevsky, Yu. D. 2006, Perspektivy trehstoronnego prigranichnogo sotrudnichestva s uchastiem Kaliningradskoj oblasti [Prospects for a trilateral cross-border cooperation with the Kaliningrad region], Vestnik Baltijskogo nauchnogo centra [Bulletin of the Baltic Science Centre], no. 1 (24), p. 29—33.
24. Rossijskie diplomaty podgotovili dlja ES «paket» predlozhenij po resheniju po vizovoj problemy Kaliningradskoj oblasti [Russian diplomats have prepared for the EU "package" of proposals to address the problem of visa Kaliningrad region], 2008, Moskovskie novosti [The Moscow news], available at: http://www.rbc.ru/digest/index.shtml?newstime/2008/10/24/32178079 (accessed 29.08.2014).
25. Rossijsko-francuzsko-germanskie peregovory [Russian-French-German talks], 2010, Portal of the President of the Russian Federation, available at: http://www.kremlin.ru/news/9286 (accessed 29.08.2014).
26. Rossija, Germanija i Pol'sha obsuzhdajut plany sotrudnichestva [Russia, Germany and Poland discuss cooperation plans], 2011, Telekanal Rossia [Russian TV channel], available at: http://my. mail.ru/video/bk/vesti.ru/politics/47135.html#video=/bk/vesti.ru/politics/47135 (accessed 26.10.2013).
27. RF, Litva, Pol'sha predlozhat ES smjagchit' vizovyj rezhim dlja Kaliningrada [The Russian Federation, Lithuania, Poland offered to soften the EU visa regime for Kaliningrad], 2009, Newkaliningrad. Ru, available at: http://www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/politics/k872155.html (accessed 26.10.2013).
28. Samoilova, S. 2010, V bezvizovyj rezhim cherez Germaniju [In the non-visa regime through Germany], Politcom. Ru, available at: http://politcom.ru/10443.html (accessed 29.08.2014).
29. Maytakova, O. 2014, S nachala 2014 goda rossijsko-pol'skuju granicu po MPP peresekli 4 milliona chelovek [Since the beginning of 2014 the Russian-Polish border by WFP crossed the 4 million people], Newkaliningrad. Ru, available at: http://www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/community/4122414-s-nachala-2014-goda-rossiyskopolskuyu-granitsu-po-mpp-pereseklo-4-milliona-chelovek.html (accessed 31.08.2014).
30. Soglashenie mezhdu Pravitel'stvom Rossijskoj Federacii i Pravitel'stvom Respubliki Pol'sha o porjadke mestnogo prigranichnogo peredvizhenija [Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Poland on local border movement], 2011, General'noe konsul'stvo Respubliki Pol'sha v Kaliningrade [Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Kaliningrad], available at: http://www.kaliningrad.msz.gov.pl/ru/consular_information/mrg_ru/umowa_ru/ (accessed 27.10.2013).
31. Topornin, N. 2010, Bezvizovyj rezhim mezhdu Rossiej i ES: real'nost' ili utopija? [Visa-free regime between Russia and the EU: reality or utopia?], Portal MGIMO [Portal MGIMO Universitet MID Rossii], available at: http://www.mgimo.ru/news/experts/document168613.phtml (accessed 29.08.2014).
32. 92 000 000 zlotyh kak minimum potratili v jetom godu kaliningradcy v Pol'she [92 million zlotys at least spent this year Kaliningradians in Poland], 2014,Pol'skij kul'turnyj centr v Kaliningrade [Polish Cultural Center in Kaliningrad], available at: http://www.polska-kaliningrad.ru/home/10-newsfrompoland/3817-92-000-000-zlotykh-kak-minimum-potratili-v-etom-godu-kaliningradtsy-v-polshe (accessed 31.08.2014).
33. Dwa lata funkcjonowania MRG, 2014, Warmińsko-Mazurski Oddział Straży ranicznej, available at: http://www.wm.strazgraniczna.pl/archiwmu-new/85-wmosg-rzecznik-prasowy/aktualnosci/933-dwa-lata-funkcjonowania-mrg (accessed 31.08.2014).
2. Bezgranichnye vozmozhnosti [Endless possibilities], 2013, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, available at: http://rg.ru/2013/07/02/reg-szfo/graniza.html (accessed 27.10.2013).
3. Pol'sha zhdet bolee intensivnyh kontaktov s novym gubernatorom Kaliningradskoj oblasti [Poland is waiting for more intensive contacts with the new governor of the Kaliningrad region], 2010, Kaliningrad.ru, available at: http://kgd.ru/news/item/6930 (accessed 29.08.2014).
4. Stepovyk, M. 2010, «Vejmarskij treugol'nik» za rasshirenie sotrudnichestva mezhdu ES i Rossiej ["Weimar Triangle" for the expansion of cooperation between the EU and Russia], Deutsche Welle, available at: http://www.dw. de/a-5724846 (accessed 29.08.2014).
5. Voinikov, V., Korneev, O. 2013, Problems and prospects of EU — Russia dialogue on visa-free travel, Balt. Reg., no. 3 (17), p. 14—26. DOI: 10.5922/2079-8555- 2013-3-2.
6. V Pol'she udivleny, chto Litva uzhe davno tormozit otkrytie prigranichnogo bezvizovogo dvizhenija s Rossiej [In Poland surprised that Lithuania has long inhibits the opening of cross-border visa-free movement with Russia], 2010, Regnum, available at: http://www.regnum.ru/news/polit/1314519.html#ixzz3BnL4Tka3 (accessed 26.10.2013).
7. Sayapina, O. 2014, V Pol'shu mozhno budet i na poezde [In Poland will be on the train], Strana Kaliningrad, available at: http://strana. klops.ru/news/Zhizn-Kaliningradai-oblasti/82935/V-Poljsu-mozno-budet-i-na-poezde.html (accessed 21.08.2014).
8. Granica procvetaet. Dva goda MPP [The border is booming. Two years of small frontier movement], 2014, Pol'skij kul'turnyj centr v Kaliningrade [Polish Cultural Center in Kaliningrad], available at: http://www.polska-kaliningrad.ru/home/10-newsfrompoland/3660-granitsa-protsvetaet-dva-goda-mpp (accessed 31.08.2014).
9. Zhabrev, А. А., Leontieva, А. N., Mezhevich, N. М. 2011, Razvitie prigranichnogo sotrudnichestva — cel' i sovokupnost' zadach strategicheskogo razvitija Severo-Zapada Rossijskoj Federacii [Development of cross-border cooperation — a goal and a set of strategic objectives of the North-West of the Russian Federation], Pskovskij regionologicheskij zhurnal [Pskov regionologichesky Journal], no. 2, p. 3—9.
10. Lavrov: Litva «ne ochen' aktivna» v voprose bezvizovogo rezhima [Lavrov: Lithuania "not very active" in the issue of visa-free regime], 2011, Delfi, available at: http://ru.delfi. lt/news/politics/lavrov-litva-ne-ochen-aktivna-v-voprose-bezvizovogo-rezhima.d?id=42855967 (accessed 26.10.2013).
11. Litva zamorozila peregovory o malom prigranichnom peredvizhenii s Kaliningradskoj oblast'ju [Lithuania has frozen talks on border movement of the Kaliningrad region], 2014, Rosbalt, available at: http://www.rosbalt.ru/kaliningrad/2014/06/09/1278562.html (accessed 31.08.2014).
12. Litva ne zhelaet bezvizovogo rezhima s Kaliningradom [Lithuania does not want to visa-free regime with Kaliningrad], 2010, Rosbalt, available at: http://m.rosbalt.ru/main/2010/08/09/760618.html (accessed 29.08.2014).
13. Mezhevich, N., Zhuk, N. 2013, Cross-border Specialization of Interregional Interaction: Applying New Assessment Methods, Balt. Reg., no. 1 (15), p. 27—36. DOI: 10.5922/2079-8555-2013-1-3.
14. MID Litvy: predlozhenija Pol'shi ne sootvetstvujut trebovanijam Shengena [Lithuanian Foreign Minister: Poland proposals do not meet the requirements of the Schengen], 2010, Newkaliningrad. Ru, available at: http://www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/politics/k1119062.html (accessed 26.10.2013).
15. Soglashenie mezhdu Rossijskoj Federaciej i Evropejskim soobshhestvom ob uproshhenii vydachi viz grazhdanam Rossijskoj Federacii i Evropejskogo sojuza [Agreement between the Russian Federation and the European Community on the facilitation of the issuance of visas to citizens of the Russian Federation and the European Union], 2006, 29 May, Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, available at: http://www.mid.ru/Brp_4.nsf/arh/D2FDBE95F19D148EC325717D002FFDCC (accessed 29.08.2014).
16. Moskva i Varshava prizvali ES otkryt' granicy s Kaliningradskoj oblast'ju [Moscow and Warsaw called on the EU to open the border with the Kaliningrad region], 2010, Deutsche Welle, available at: http://rus. delfi. ee/daily/abroad/moskva-ivarshava-prizvali-es-otkryt-granicy-s-kaliningradskoj-oblastyu.d?id=30297729 (accessed 29.08.2014).
17. Pol'sha vystupaet za vizovye l'goty zhiteljam Kaliningradskoj oblasti [Poland supports visa privileges to residents of the Kaliningrad Region], 2010, Kaliningrad.ru, available at: http://kgd.ru/news/item/5940 (accessed 29.08.2014).
18. Poljaki hotjat razvivat' maloe prigranichnoe peredvizhenie po vode [Poles want to develop a small border traffic on the water], 2013, Kaliningrad.ru, available at: http://kgd.ru/news/item/26951-polyaki-hotyat-razvivat-maloe-prigranichnoe-peredvizhenie-po-vode (accessed 27.10.2013).
19. Posol Pol'shi: poljaki i rossijane dolzhny imet' shans ponjat' drug druga [Ambassador of Poland: Poles and Russians should have the chance to understand each other], 2014, RIA Novosti, available at: http://ria.ru/interview/20140812/1019699889.html#ixzz3Bzi2hKdY (accessed 31.08.2014).
20. Potemkina, О. Yu. 2012, Problema doverija Rossii i ES v ramkah obshhego prostranstva svobody, bezopasnosti i pravosudija [The problem of trust Russia and the EU in the framework of the common space of freedom, security and justice]. In: Kaveshnikov, N. Yu., Kondratyeva, N. B. Evropejskij Sojuz v XXI veke: vremja ispytanij [The European Union in the XXI century: the test], Moscow, Ves' mir, p. 500—518.
21. Press-konferencija po itogam vstrechi na vysshem urovne Rossija — Evropejskij sojuz [Press conference following the summit Russia — EU], 2010, Portal of the President of the Russian Federation, available at: http://www.kremlin.ru/transcripts/ 9730 (accessed 29.08.2014).
22. Reglament (ES) № 1931/2006 Evropejskogo parlamenta i Soveta ot 20 dekabrja 2006 g. ob ustanovlenii pravil v otnoshenii malogo pogranichnogo dvizhenija na vneshnih suhoputnyh granicah gosudarstv-chlenov i ob izmenenii polozhenij Shengenskoj konvencii [Regulation (EC) № 1931/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the establishment of rules on local border traffic at the external land borders of the Member States and to amend the provisions of the Schengen Convention], 2006, Evropejskij Sojuz i Rossija. Zakonodatel'stvo i praktika [The European Union and Russia. Law and Practice], available at: http://eu-law.ru/2011/06/reglament-es-o-malom-pogranichnom-dvizhenii/accessed 29.08.2014).
23. Rozhkov-Yuryevsky, Yu. D. 2006, Perspektivy trehstoronnego prigranichnogo sotrudnichestva s uchastiem Kaliningradskoj oblasti [Prospects for a trilateral cross-border cooperation with the Kaliningrad region], Vestnik Baltijskogo nauchnogo centra [Bulletin of the Baltic Science Centre], no. 1 (24), p. 29—33.
24. Rossijskie diplomaty podgotovili dlja ES «paket» predlozhenij po resheniju po vizovoj problemy Kaliningradskoj oblasti [Russian diplomats have prepared for the EU "package" of proposals to address the problem of visa Kaliningrad region], 2008, Moskovskie novosti [The Moscow news], available at: http://www.rbc.ru/digest/index.shtml?newstime/2008/10/24/32178079 (accessed 29.08.2014).
25. Rossijsko-francuzsko-germanskie peregovory [Russian-French-German talks], 2010, Portal of the President of the Russian Federation, available at: http://www.kremlin.ru/news/9286 (accessed 29.08.2014).
26. Rossija, Germanija i Pol'sha obsuzhdajut plany sotrudnichestva [Russia, Germany and Poland discuss cooperation plans], 2011, Telekanal Rossia [Russian TV channel], available at: http://my. mail.ru/video/bk/vesti.ru/politics/47135.html#video=/bk/vesti.ru/politics/47135 (accessed 26.10.2013).
27. RF, Litva, Pol'sha predlozhat ES smjagchit' vizovyj rezhim dlja Kaliningrada [The Russian Federation, Lithuania, Poland offered to soften the EU visa regime for Kaliningrad], 2009, Newkaliningrad. Ru, available at: http://www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/politics/k872155.html (accessed 26.10.2013).
28. Samoilova, S. 2010, V bezvizovyj rezhim cherez Germaniju [In the non-visa regime through Germany], Politcom. Ru, available at: http://politcom.ru/10443.html (accessed 29.08.2014).
29. Maytakova, O. 2014, S nachala 2014 goda rossijsko-pol'skuju granicu po MPP peresekli 4 milliona chelovek [Since the beginning of 2014 the Russian-Polish border by WFP crossed the 4 million people], Newkaliningrad. Ru, available at: http://www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/community/4122414-s-nachala-2014-goda-rossiyskopolskuyu-granitsu-po-mpp-pereseklo-4-milliona-chelovek.html (accessed 31.08.2014).
30. Soglashenie mezhdu Pravitel'stvom Rossijskoj Federacii i Pravitel'stvom Respubliki Pol'sha o porjadke mestnogo prigranichnogo peredvizhenija [Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Poland on local border movement], 2011, General'noe konsul'stvo Respubliki Pol'sha v Kaliningrade [Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Kaliningrad], available at: http://www.kaliningrad.msz.gov.pl/ru/consular_information/mrg_ru/umowa_ru/ (accessed 27.10.2013).
31. Topornin, N. 2010, Bezvizovyj rezhim mezhdu Rossiej i ES: real'nost' ili utopija? [Visa-free regime between Russia and the EU: reality or utopia?], Portal MGIMO [Portal MGIMO Universitet MID Rossii], available at: http://www.mgimo.ru/news/experts/document168613.phtml (accessed 29.08.2014).
32. 92 000 000 zlotyh kak minimum potratili v jetom godu kaliningradcy v Pol'she [92 million zlotys at least spent this year Kaliningradians in Poland], 2014,Pol'skij kul'turnyj centr v Kaliningrade [Polish Cultural Center in Kaliningrad], available at: http://www.polska-kaliningrad.ru/home/10-newsfrompoland/3817-92-000-000-zlotykh-kak-minimum-potratili-v-etom-godu-kaliningradtsy-v-polshe (accessed 31.08.2014).
33. Dwa lata funkcjonowania MRG, 2014, Warmińsko-Mazurski Oddział Straży ranicznej, available at: http://www.wm.strazgraniczna.pl/archiwmu-new/85-wmosg-rzecznik-prasowy/aktualnosci/933-dwa-lata-funkcjonowania-mrg (accessed 31.08.2014).