Luxembourg, 11/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - The ministerial sessions of accession negotiations, on Monday and Tuesday in Luxembourg, allowed the negotiating table to be swept clean of the last outstanding "technical" problems before tackling, over coming months, the real political difficulties linked to the funding of enlargement: agriculture (mainly direct aid), regional policy and the budgetary contribution of the future new members. Thus, Cyprus and Lithuania both closed 28 chapters out of 31, and only the three "hot" dossiers still remain to be tackled. Most of the other candidates are in a similar situation or are close to making further moves forward. Difficulties in reaching a common position of the Fifteen on the agricultural chapter (due to the well known divergence over direct aid - see yesterday's EUROPE, p.8), were commented by the candidates in Luxembourg. Some - like Estonia and Slovakia - express real concern, while others - like Poland, Hungary and Slovenia - refuse at this stage to dramatise the situation while describing it as "regrettable". We give below an overview of the results of the various ministerial sessions:
Bulgaria. Three more chapters were closed: free movement of persons and of capital, and taxation. Bulgaria has closed 20 chapters. Foreign Minister Solomon Passy affirmed that the "only clear deadline for us is that for completing negotiations in 2003. At this stage, we do not wish to deal with the accession date" (which, in his opinion, will at any rate be before 2007). Ms Kuneva, Chief Negotiator for Bulgaria, felt it should be possible to complete negotiations during the first half of 2003 given the "enormous progress" her country has made. She also announced a decision by the Bulgarian government before the end of the year on closure of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant.
Romania. No additional chapter has been closed. The total number of closures therefore remains at 11. On the other hand, three additional chapters were opened and the Minister for European Affairs, Hildegard Puwak, said his country had now "created all the conditions necessary" for opening all the remaining chapters by end June. In her view, negotiations could be completed by 2003 "or early 2004", in order to become a member by 2007 at the latest.
Slovenia. The "institutions" chapter has been closed (Slovenia accepts the institutional arrangements foreseen in the Nice Treaty), which brings the number of closed chapters to 27. Only the three "key" chapters have still to be treated: agriculture, regional policy, and the budget. Dimitrij Rupel, Foreign Minister, regretted that the Fifteen had not been able to reach an agreement on agriculture and direct aid, but said he was "confident" that the EU could respect the roadmap providing for a common position of this kind before the end of the Spanish Presidency. "Any deviation from the roadmap could hold up the enlargement process", he told the press. "If this happens, it will not be our fault", he added, considering that everything will be easier for the Fifteen after the German elections in September.
Poland. Two further chapters were closed (transport and institutions) and Poland has now closed 25 chapters in all. The chapter on justice and home affairs may also perhaps be closed by the end of the month or, at the latest, early in the Danish Presidency, Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz told the press. The "competition" chapter should follow in the autumn and Poland could then focus on the three key areas: agriculture, regional policy and budget. Poland would prefer the Fifteen delay the adoption of a complete common position on agriculture for several months rather than now present a position that avoids giving a clear opinion on direct aid, he said. The most important thing in his opinion is that there should not be discrimination between the current and future member countries.
Hungary. The veterinary and phytosanitary part of the agriculture chapter was closed but the number of closed chapters remains at 24. Chief Negotiator for Hungary Endre Juhasz also regretted there was no EU common position on agriculture but hoped something would come about during the Spanish Presidency. Even if the EU's position was not available until after the Brussels Summit in October last, this would leave sufficient time to conclude for the Copenhagen Summit in December, he hoped. On Monday, the new Hungarian government also requested "improvements" to the two chapters already provisionally closed, on "taxation" (mainly excise tax on cigarettes) and the free movement of capital (for the sale of farmland , the country calls for a safeguard clause in addition to the seven year transitional period already obtained). On the budgetary contribution, Mr Juhasz restated the Hungarian point of view that the net financial situation for Hungary after accession should not only be "no more unfavourable" than for the year preceding accession (as the Commission put it) but "substantially better".
Latvia Three chapters have been close: taxation, regional policy, justice and home affairs (27 chapters closed at this stage). The "institutions" chapter could soon follow (Latvia does not oppose the arrangements of the Treaty of Nice at all), but the country wants to first obtain supplementary technical information, explained their Chief Negotiator, Andris Kesteris. He also stressed to the press the importance their country attached to improving the commission's offer on agricultural quotas, which should take into account the specific situation of the very recent agricultural structures in Latvia (and in Baltic countries in general), and calculate on current production levels and not those of the 1990s.
Estonia. Two chapters were closed: institutions, regional policy (total closures, 26). The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kristiina Ojuland, even considered that they could push for closing negotiations on two other important parts 'energy and taxation) before the end of the Spanish Presidency. Questioned by the press on the stalemate regarding direct agricultural aid, she made a firm appeal for a comprehensive common position to be reached at the end of the month because if we waited until the Summit of Brussels, it might be too late, she explained, and any delay could strengthen the anti-European and anti-enlargement forces.
Slovakia. Two chapters have been closed, justice and home affairs and institutions. 26 chapters have been closed altogether. On Tuesday the EU and Slovakia also reached an agreement on the veterinary and phytosanitary aspects of the agriculture chapter and paved the way for closures of the "competition" and "regional policy" chapters. Edward Kukan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said that he was satisfied with the catch-up work by his country, which only began negotiations in 2000. In the agricultural arena, he hopes that the EU would reach a full common position by the Summit of Seville at the latest.
Lithuania. By closing two supplementary chapters (energy, regional policy), Lithuania and Cyprus are at the head of the candidate countries in terms of closed chapters, with a total of 28. As well as this spectacular progress in negotiations (particularly I we take into account that Lithuania only began negotiating in 2000), the Lithuanian Minister, Antanas Valionis, was also able to announce on Tuesday, an agreement in principle with the EU on the complete timetable for closing down the Ignalina nuclear power station. The Lithuanian government is therefore committed to closing down the first reactor before 2005 and the second before 2009. The issue of EU financial aid for the closure (which, according to Lithuania, will cost in the range of EUR 2.4 billion up until 2020) will be discussed and decided in the next few months within accession negotiations. Günther Verheugen, the Commissioner, welcomed the Ignalina agreement, asserting that Lithuania could count on "adequate" financial assistance for funding the social, economic and energy costs of the closure.
Czech Republic. As well as agreement on the veterinary and phyto-sanitary part of the agriculture chapter, the Czech Republic has not closed any additional chapters. The total number of closures remains unchanged at 25. Jan Kavan, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, insisted that the road map and commitment to end negotiations with the most advanced candidate countries by the end of the year be respected.
Cyprus. The "competition" chapter was closed. The score now stands at 28 closures out of 31. Ioannis Kasoulides, Minister for Foreign Affairs, stressed to the EU that the government was going to "continue its constructive approach" in view of exploring all possible avenues for finding a mutually acceptable solution to the Cypriot problem before the end of the autumn.
Malta. The "institutions" chapter was close. A total of 22 chapters have now been closed.