Brussels, 14/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - As José Maria stressed in a press conference with Romano Prodi in Madrid last week (see EUROPE 9 January), the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, will, in its work programme, push forward the last lap of accession negotiations, which it considers as the one of its most important objectives. It hopes that its Presidency can decisively help to bring accession negotiations with countries that are ready to a conclusion by the end of the second half of 2002, as envisaged at the European Council of Gothenburg. In this connection, Spain wants to scrupulously ensure that the "road map" and the negotiations calendar approved at Nice, are respected. According to this calendar, the EU is expected to present its joint negotiation procedures on the most sensitive and complex chapters, notably those that will have a huge financial impact on current EU members, as well as for future members of the Community. These chapters include agriculture on which a common EU position already exists with regard to the veterinary and phytosanitary section of the chapter on agriculture but the EU will now be expected to define its position on much more delicate issues like direct aid to farmers, market reorganisation, production quotas etc. Regional aid and EU budget contributions are other important issues up for discussion.
The Spanish Presidency will be making sure that EU positions on the above-mentioned subjects are based on the current acquis (without, for example, already taking into account possible agricultural reforms in agricultural policy that the Commission is expected to announce in the middle of 2002 within the framework of the CAP "mid-term review" as outlined in Agenda 2000) and in compliance with the financial perspectives of 2000-2006 approved in Berlin in 1999 and highlighted in the work programme. The Spanish Presidency also wants to go forward and conclude negotiations on all the chapters that have been tackled over recent months and with this in mind, a number of negotiation meetings are planned in the provisional timetable: - "Deputy-level meetings are scheduled for 14-15 February, 21-22 March, 19-22 April and 31 May and 3 June, as well as a negotiation meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs on 11 June.
The Spanish Presidency also intends to begin assessing which candidate countries are ready to apply and effectively implement the Community legislation that they have accepted during negotiations. The work programme envisages the first general assessment based on the Commission's action plan, in June at the Council of Seville. Particular attention will be paid to Bulgaria and Romania, to which Spain is helping in a number of ways, including the opening of discussions on chapters that have hitherto remained closed. The Presidency also wants to support efforts that go towards a political solution in Cyprus and give a "boost" to Turkey's pre-accession strategy.