Brussels, 22/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 21 January, European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle said that new member states will not have to undergo a follow-up or monitoring process after they join the European Union, as is the case with Romania and Bulgaria. Stating that the EU had learnt lessons from the past, Füle said in Dublin that “we are making sure that the new members strengthen the EU and we are making sure there is no need for any follow up, verification and monitoring mechanism”. In his view, “it's important for the credibility of the process that we let only those which are fully prepared to assume their responsibility join the EU”.
Preparing the candidate countries for the new challenges of the EU. At the press conference which followed the informal Council of European affairs ministers, Füle hailed the discussions between the latter and their counterparts in the candidate countries, stressing that this was the first time that the focus of the discussion had been on how to associate the candidate countries to the economic governance of the EU. Füle said that this meeting allowed them to focus not only on the acquis but also on the issues that affect the EU, which will probably change it. He added that these countries will come into a different Europe from the one which they asked to join. The EU needs to see “how to involve candidate countries”, he added, mentioning for example competitiveness.
Injecting new momentum. The Irish minister for European affairs, Lucinda Creighton, whose country currently holds the Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers, said that this is a good time to inject momentum into the enlargement process, particularly for the Western Balkans.
Creighton also said that Ireland wants Turkey to open at least one accession chapter under its Presidency, adding that the relationship between Ankara and the EU is vital. She said that the road is long but it is in the EU's interest that Turkey continue its reforms. There is a determination on the Turkish and also the EU side, she said, adding that there are challenges and difficulties but that she hopes that they will be able to bring the EU and Turkey closer together. She went on that, from “a selfish point of view”, enlargement is good for Ireland because it enables the internal market to be broadened, and she pointed out that her country has always supported enlargement. (CG/transl.fl)