Brussels, 09/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - The recommendation by the European Commission (approved on Wednesday during the publication of the regular reports on the accession candidate countries) for concluding accession negotiations by the end of the year with ten of the twelve candidate countries (Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Estonia, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Cyprus) probably represents the most important stage of the great political project ever carried out in Europe, stressed Commissioner Günter Verheugen (enlargement) during a presentation of European Parliament reports. In its recommendation to the Fifteen, the Commission "has kept its promise" to make enlargement "the priority of priorities", emphasised Romano Prodi, the President of the Commission. "The Commission's commitment has been respected. The historic unification of our continent for ensuring peace, stability and democracy in Europe is within our reach", explained Mr Prodi. The President also declared that the European Council of Brussels (24/25 October) would approved the recommendation that Member States work towards conclusion of negotiations by the end of the year. Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, also stressed the historic importance of the Commission's decision and launched "a very personal appeal to his compatriots" in Ireland that during the second referendum on the Treaty of Nice on 19 October, they worked towards removing the very last brick of the Berlin Wall by taking out the final institutional obstacle to enlargement. Mr Cox explained that, "Ten countries are ready for the rendezvous with European history. We cannot let them down." He declared that a second "no" would mean great uncertainty in the pursuit and achievement of the enlargement process.
In its strategic conclusions annexed to the national reports, the Commission leaves no doubt that the ten candidate countries mentioned above (although they are not yet at this stage ready to join, are up to fulfilling all the criteria for accession by 1 January 2004, the day expected for accession). Mr Verheugen explained to MEPs that, "There is only one justification for this positive recommendation"… "The ten countries deserve it for they have succeeded in time to fulfil the accession criteria by themselves". Mr Verheugen insisted on the "neutral and objective" character of the assessment made by the Commission. The Commissioner explained that the recommendations were fair and objective and could be translated by the remarkable progress made by the candidate countries themselves. The recommendation made today is not based on political considerations, Mr Verheugen emphasised. Commission services responsible for drafting the reports had only one order, the Commissioner explained, that of not closing their eyes to any weaknesses and of indicating the slightest problems, which in their opinion would not be able to be sorted out before the end of 2003, in other words before accession in 2004. Mr Verheugen welcomed the fact that the satisfactory result of this assessment indicated that no problem of this kind was detected. On the other hand, the reports stress the "shortcomings" (in practically all the countries), which will have to be completely rectified before accession. Among these worrying these shortfalls, mentioned by President Prodi are the insufficiency of administrative capacity, dysfunctionment in the legal system (lack of resources both financial and human), corruption and the "shameful" phenomenon of the traffic in human beings, notably women.
A revised accession strategy for Bulgaria and Romania
In connection with Bulgaria and Romania, the Commission was keen to reaffirm in its conclusions that it would do everything possible for these two countries to fulfil their objectives, that of accession in 2007 (it appears that an initial version, amended during the Commission meeting on Wednesday, foresaw more positive attitudes that went in the direction of making 1 January 2007 the official date for the deadline "a target date for the accession of these two countries"). Mr Veheugen explained that, "The Commission solemnly swears to do all that is possible to help these two countries reach their objective in 2007". With this end in mind, the Commission will come up with proposals for the Summit of Copenhagen in view of adopting a new accession partnership agreement for the two countries, accompanied by additional pre-accession aid and road maps adapted to the new circumstances.
Strengthened monitoring in 2003, including new extended safeguard clause in Access Treaty
The Commission will remain alert as to the meeting of commitments made by candidate countries for attaining the Community Acquis in full and creating the necessary administrative structures for their implementation.
To this end, the Commission plans to follow a dual approach: a) during the year 2003, it will scrupulously pursue "monitoring" of the progress made by candidate states to fill the last legislative, administrative and other gaps before 1 January 2004 according to the timetable agreed in negotiations. All information on this monitoring will be gathered in follow-up reports presented to the Council at regular intervals. Furthermore, six months before the accession date, the Commission will produce a final follow-up report giving an overview of the measures taken in the new member countries; b) a specific safeguard clause (going beyond simple economic questions, as was the case during earlier enlargements) will be incorporated into the Treaty of membership. During two years after enlargement, this clause may be invoked not only by the fifteen current members but also by the new future Member States (or by the Commission itself) should, for reasons that are currently unpredictable, the correct functioning of the internal market be brought into question, and also, where other policies are concerned, as for example the field of justice and foreign affairs. In these cases, the Commission will be authorised to take "appropriate measures". Such an "extended" safeguard clause is necessary not because the future member States represent a risk but because it is enlargement of a specific and unique kind, explained Mr Verheugen.
Verheugen: "citizens should be kept better informed of enlargement in order
to avoid any unpleasant surprises in 2003"
Speaking before the European Parliament, Commissioner Verheugen also appealed to Member States to do everything possible to improve citizen information on enlargement. The best way to face up to the scepticism that persists among the population is to provide "information, information and more information", said Mr Verheugen. He said there could be a negative surprise in store over the next few months if citizens are not kept informed of the enlargement project, as there is no doubt that EU enlargement will become the central political theme in the public debate of many Member States during the year 2003. Mr Verheugen said "it is our priority duty, now, to involve citizens in this process". In this context, Mr Prodi stressed the importance of explaining to citizens the "enormous advantages" that enlargement would bring (he cited stability and reuniting of the European continent, the creation of the largest market in the world and the entry into the EU of countries with great growth potential). "All these advantages largely exceed the cost of this enormous project", said Mr Prodi, before going on to add: "when we speak of the cost of enlargement, we must also tell citizens what the cost of non-enlargement would be".
MEPs give favourable welcome insisting on what remains to be done
Hans-Gert Pöttering, speaking on behalf of the EPP-ED, said he was "in agreement for ten countries" and agreed with the Commission's proposals on direct payments. He said it was not necessary to "create new accession conditions", and considered that those who call for reform of CAP before proceeding to enlargement are "committing a sin" towards the candidate countries. He said he hoped Romania and Bulgaria would "continue their progress" to conclude negotiations "in a relatively near future". He considered that the Commission was right not to give a date for Turkey. "Our group does not have an unanimous opinion on Turkey's membership, any more than the other groups, even if we all agree in saying that it is a strategic partner", he added.
On behalf of the Socialist Group, Gary Titley insisted on the "cost of non-enlargement" to counter the "sceptics who inevitably increase as the date draws near". "Some call for reform of one policy or another … but we cannot wait for everything to be perfect", he said. He took a stance in favour of using, where necessary, economic safeguard clauses, and called for the EU to have "the courage" to assess the situation correctly six months before enlargement.
Graham Watson, speaking for the Liberal Group, called upon the EU to increase the "surveillance system": "the Commission's report clearly shows that there are still many shortcomings … and to convince our public it must be clear that we are not hiding anything under the carpet". He hoped the "threat of safeguard clauses will be enough not to have to use them". Reforms in Turkey "are a real breakthrough, and if it is not possible to give a date right now because political conditions have not been met", Graham Watson believes it is necessary to keep up the effort in order to "show the world that we are not an elitist Christian club". French national Francis Wurtz, speaking for GUE/NGL, was highly critical of the "incomplete presentation" which does not take into account the "social crises that are alive and dangerous" that "some parts of the acquis could entail for these countries". "You are fully aware of it, but you say nothing, but it is not by breaking the thermometer that the problem can be resolved", he said addressing the Commission and Member States. He also denounced the EU's egoism, asking how one can possibly propose a budget originally intended for six countries to ten future new members.
Speaking on behalf of the Greens/EFA, Daniel Cohn-Bendit held a much more impassioned speech than his colleagues, but without saying that he supported the Commission's guidelines. He said he had "expected, hoped for, dreamt of the Commission" a presentation looking towards the future, and that it explain "at this historic moment what kind of Europe we want". He also denounced "the petty debates of the Member States; the Fifteen are conducting a policy of egoism, they are afraid of history". As for the EU's reforms, it is not, according to him, a question of "putting up new barriers but of rendering enlargement possible".
Gerard Collins, speaking on behalf of the UEN, called on the Irish electorate to "vote yes" in the referendum on the Nice Treaty on 19 October. Jens-Peter Bonde, speaking on behalf of the EDD, denounced the fact that the Irish were again being asked to vote on the Nice Treaty. We would have done better to draw the conclusions from the fact that the most European of countries rejected the Treaty, he declared. He sent out an appeal to the European Council of Brussels to remedy the "scandal" of the inadequate number of seats provided for Hungary and the Czech Republic in the European Parliament. Frank Vanhecke (Vlaams Blok) sees in enlargement "a time bomb" that will lead to "more poverty, more immigration". Enlargement, according to his party, is only acceptable under one condition, that it be achieved without the free movement of persons.
Main conclusions of the national reports
In the national regular reports on the thirteen candidate countries, the Commission makes a detailed analysis of progress made in preparing for accession, but also points the finger at shortcomings that demand urgent measures. Here is a summary of the main conclusions (for Turkey see next article):
Bulgaria. The country has a valid market economy, which should be able to take on the EU's competitive pressure and the forces of the internal market, as long as it continues to implement its reform programme". Effort is also needed to improve market flexibility. The efficiency of the administration and justice system needs strengthening. Bulgaria should also focus its future efforts on consolidating the required institutional structures notably in the field of protecting the EU's financial interests.
Cyprus. Cyprus has reached a high level of alignment on the acquis in most areas and progressed on the path to setting up an appropriate administrative capability enabling it to implement the acquis in a considerable number of sectors.
The Czech Republic is a "market economy that works". If it keeps up ongoing reforms, the country should be able to take on the competitive pressure and market forces within the EU. The country has achieved a high degree of alignment on the acquis and set up most of the administrative capacity required for its implementation, although additional efforts remain to be made.
Estonia has made further progress in several fields, including the internal market, agriculture, justice and home affairs. "The rate of progress, generally, has however been slower than provided for by Estonia's own timetable set out in its national programme for adopting the acquis".
Hungary. Hungary has achieved a high level of alignment on the acquis and also progressed well in the required administrative capacities to implement the acquis. "It will, however, have to continue its efforts to be able to implement the acquis by its accession.
Latvia is a viable market economy. The continuation of reforms undertaken should allow it to face up to competitive pressure and market forces within the EU. The preparation of its administrative capacity for accession remains one of the "greatest challenges that Latvia has to face".
Lithuania is a viable market economy. Continuing on the road to reform that it has already set out upon, Lithuania ought to be able to face up to competitive pressure and to market forces within the EU. The country has reached a "good level of alignment on Community acquis".
Malta has on the whole reached a satisfactory degree of alignment on EU acquis and is at an advanced stage in terms of administrative implementation capacity, "although the effort must be continued mainly concerning agriculture and the environment".
Poland: Strengthening of the administrative capacities of the public service is a "major problem", the result of recent changes is "mitigated" and additional effort is therefore required. Corruption remains an "extremely worrying" aspect. The country has a viable market economy. "If Poland keeps on the current reform track, it should be able to face up to competitive pressure and market forces within the EU".
Romania has still to improve the decision-making and legislative processes, and reform of the legal system must be in-depth. The country has continued to make progress to become a viable market economy and its prospects in this respect have improved.
If Romania implements the reforms foreseen, it should be able, in the medium term, to face up to the competitive pressure and the market forces within the EU.
Slovakia is a viable market economy. If it pursues the reforms currently begun, it should be able to face up to the competitive pressure on the EU market. The country has also accomplished considerable progress with regards legislative alignment and the strengthening of its administrative capacities.
Slovenia has a "market economy that works". It could face up to competitive pressure on the EU market. The country is also well advanced as far as legislative alignment is concerned in key areas of the internal market, and most of its institutions are now in place and working "suitably".