The European Peoples' Party breaks the taboos. The EPP (as European party and not as political group in the European Parliament) has asked the EU to define its "geographic extent". This party believes that that the EU cannot be vague about its future external borders: it "needs certainty in relation to itself". In practical terms, the resolution the Congress of Berlin voted on on 14 January tends to set limits. It states in fact that: a) geographic expansion must not "overburden the capacity for integration"; b) forms of institutionalized cooperation other than accession be offered to countries so wishing or who cannot join as full members.

Ukraine, Turkey, Morocco, Belarus, Georgia… Why did I refer to a broken taboo? Because the idea of defining the "Union's borders" is far from receiving unanimous acceptance. Among Community authorities, some have asked for it, others considered that it would be most inappropriate. There are a certain number of third countries on which Member States and Institutions hesitate to take a stance. It has not to be forgotten that Ukraine, Belarus and even Morocco have already said that their goal was to join. Is it appropriate to initiate a debate on this now? Some wise people doubt that. The case of Ukraine, in particular, is both of great importance and very controversial. And the question remains whether, within the EPP, one delegate or another did not intend, by raising the problem of the geographic dimension of the EU, to initiate a comprehensive political debate on the case of Turkey. The Heads of State and government made of Turkey the thirteenth candidate, with which negotiations would begin once it had met the "Copenhagen criteria". But at last November's debate in the European Parliament, voices were raised to say that Turkey was not a European country and that it had no room in the Union. The EU has already replied: but not everyone believes the issue to be closed. Discussions around "Christian heritage" regarding the Charter of Fundamental Rights leads one to see which way this debate could turn. And question-marks may multiply; has not one Euro-MP, Mr. Dupuis, asked for EU membership to be proposed to Georgia?

All these reasons lead one to consider that the EPP's request will not be taken up swiftly; the concrete, operational debate leading to talks, on the Union's external borders, is not for tomorrow. But the question has been raised at institutional level.