Brussels, 02/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - During its plenary session end April, with the unanimous adoption of the own initiative opinion presented by Bruno Vever, head of the French employers delegation with the EU, Medef, on "EU enlargement: the challenge faced by candidate countries of fulfilling the economic criteria for accession", the European Economic and Social Committee (ESC) discussed the means to help these countries integrate into the EU and manage the enlarged Union. The Opinion is mainly based on the results of a hearing of the EU's socio-professional and candidate country representatives, held from 14 to 17 November 2000 in Brussels on the theme "towards a partnership for economic growth and social rights", states Bruno Vever.
The opinion mainly covers the following:
1) How best to help candidate countries take acquis on board. According to the Opinion, Community aid is considerable but not sufficient and must be better targeted, in particular on private investment. The Committee, explains Bruno Vever, wants a partnership with the socio-professional actors and considers loans are needed at preferential conditions for each of the candidate states, as well as a subsidies policy. In addition, the Committee takes a stance in favour of: stepping up training action through socio-professional players and social partners; - improving the evaluation reports by involving the socio-professional circles in this evaluation; - involving the applicant countries as of now in certain common policies, for example, in the European research area and the mutual recognition of industrial products. According to the rapporteur, moreover, it would be good if the candidate countries were also to benefit from the EC patent - to be unfrozen end 2001 - before accession.
3) The challenge for preparing for new cohesion in an enlarged Europe. The Committee considers it necessary to: - simplify Community regulations, to reach a manageable EC acquis in a 23-member Europe; - coordinate national administrations. The only solution, states Bruno Vever, is for the Commission to closely monitor the proper operation of checks. He believes one should use the technique of "coordination centres", with the Commission intervening if there is need for a mediator, and taking up the matter if the administration does not do its work properly. According to Mr Vever, if such a system were set in place, this would make it possible to manage the single market in a far safer way; - consolidate EMU: candidate countries should undertake to join the European exchange rate mechanism (ERM 2) before entering the EU.