Strasbourg, 20/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - In the wake of the General Affairs Council on Monday, the European Parliament adopted by 505 votes for, 20 against with 30 abstentions, the report of German Christian Democrat, Elmar Brok on enlargement for the ten candidate countries on 1 May 2004 (the Foreign Affairs council initially supported the date of 1 March). The Parliament also confirmed the objective of 2007 for the accession of Bulgaria and Romania. It turns out, however, that the candidate countries still have to make progress in implementing the Community Acquis in certain fields, especially in the administration and judicial sectors. The need to reinforce social dialogue was also stressed for all candidate countries and the encouragement of cross-border co-operation between local authorities, companies, unions and local teaching establishments. Parliament has specifically requested: 1) the Czech Republic to make a gesture concerning the Benes decrees and 2) the two Cypriot sides to sort out a framework agreement to be signed before the European Council of Copenhagen.
On the subject of Turkey, the European Parliament rejected the amendment of Markus Ferber (CSU), which was supported by a section of the EPP-ED, UEN and EDD groups, as well as the far right. The amendment proposed (getting rid of references to accession) to set up a special partnership between the EU and Turkey. The amendment was thrown out - 156 voted for it, 376 against and 18 abstained. Subsequently Parliament has asked the Commission to increase pre-accession aid to Turkey in order to speed up development in the country towards democracy and European standards. It highlighted the principle of equal treatment of candidate countries and requested Turkey to support to full effect, the discussions that are ongoing for finding a swift solution to the issue of Cyprus.
The full text on this resolution will soon be published in our EUROPE-Documents series.
Turkey at the centre of the debates - Rapporteurs appeal to different candidate countries
During the debate, Elmar Brok welcomed the courage of candidate countries, which often had to take unpopular measures in order to meet the Community Acquis. While stressing the fact that there was still a lot to be done, he was of the opinion that "we shouldn't get lost in the small details". With regard to Turkey, Mr Brok reaffirmed that any candidacy had to be judged in the light of the Copenhagen criteria and that, "If Ankara respects the criteria, including the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the supremacy of civil power over military power, then we should think positively about Turkey's accession".
The President of the Council, Bertel Haarder was pleased with the exercise on Tuesday morning, which demonstrated that interpreting the work of the EP in 23 languages was realistic now that there was no turning the clock back on enlargement. Mr Haarder explained that, "the Copenhagen Council will be decisive in future relations between the EU and Turkey". He also indicate that meetings of the Informal General Affairs Council on Monday, including that with Ministers from candidate countries had allowed for a planned mechanism for creating ten additional Commissioners without portfolio, who could take up their positions following the approval of the EP and while waiting for the Commission to be updated.
Commissioner Günter Verheugen considered that the General Affairs Council had provided the Presidency and the Commission with a clear mandate for putting "clearly tailored compromise measures for every candidate country" on the table. This would involve responding in a suitable way to the problems of each of the countries, he explained, while citing particular cases, such as competition in Poland and Hungary and horizontal aspects including the budgetary consequences of accession, which have imposed economic restrictions on the new Member States in the first three yeas. The Commission said that he agreed with Mr Brok with regard to Turkey's obligation to respect political criteria before they could be given a date for opening negotiations. "We do not agree to give in to increasing pressures, resulting from the crisis emerging from the absence of a date", he explained before highlighting the fact that the decision concerning Cyprus could not be reversed.
In the context of the rapporteurs for the different candidates, Luxembourg Socialist, Jacques Poos, the rapporteur on Cyprus, expressed his hope that the two dies would accept the main guidelines on the UN plan before Copenhagen and that Turkey should demonstrate a "colonialist attitude" and attempt a veto, Member States could reach a decision on the Republic of Cyprus' accession. The rapporteur on the Czech candidacy, Jürgen Schroeder (CDU) observed that the Benes Decrees were not an obstacle to accession but that the Czechs ought to recognise that they were not justified. The rapporteur for Latvia, Michael Gahler (CDU) sought aid for the country and that certain efforts were made regarding the issue of milk. Portuguese MEP, Luis Queiro (UEN) rapporteur for Hungary, noted that good economic results had been made in this country, as well as efforts in the area of rights for the Roma people, media and competition. German Green, Elisabeth Schroedter, rapporteur on Estonia, admitted that efforts were still needed with regard to the Russian minority. Greek Socialist, Ioanni Souladakis, rapporteur on Lithuania, hoped that the problem of Kaliningrad could be resolved. Usula Stenzel (ÖVP) rapporteur for Malta declared that it was good that enlargement also had a Mediterranean component and hoped that enlargement would be accepted in a referendum because "there wouldn't be a third chance". Referring to his own Polish descent, rapporteur for Poland, Jas Gawronski (Forza Italia) highlighted the importance of enlargement and how it would be an important stage on the road to the unification of the continent. At his request, the EP adopted an oral amendment calling on the Polish authorities to guarantee freedom of the press. Dutch Socialist, Jan Wiersma, rapporteur on Slovakia, highlighted the need for the application of Community law, reform of the judiciary, the fight against corruption and the situation of the Roma. Italian rapporteur for Slovenia, Demetrio Volcic (Democratici di Sinistra and who was born in Lubiana) considered that the paragraph on the fight against fraud and corruption could be erased for his country because of the phenomenon barely existed there. British Conservative, Geoffrey Van Orden, rapporteur for Bulgaria, asserted that enlargement imposed CAP reform and financial management. He considered that 2007 was a realistic date for Bulgarian's accession. Liberal Democrat, Emma Nicholson, rapporteur for Romania believed that the country would join in 2007. Dutch Christian Democrat, Arie Oostander, considered that Turkey would not have much difficulty of adopting the Community Acquis but would need time for meeting the political criteria. He also thought that it would be counterproductive to arrange a date for opening negotiations.
During the debate José Salafranca (EPP-DE, Spain) appealed for candidate countries to get involved in the work of the next Inter-Governmental Conference. Swedish Liberal, Cecilia Malström insisted on respect for the Copenhagen criteria but hoped that a positive message would be sent to Turkey. Dutch Green Joost Lagendijk considered that they had to be clear with Turkey and acknowledge that accession remained the objective by that the timetable still needed defining. Bastiaan Belder (EDD, the Netherlands) spoke against Turkey's accession affirming the Christian identity of Europe. Belgian Radical (Lista Bonino) Olivier Dupuis considered that Europe needed countries from the Caucasus and Balkans, just as it needed Turkey.
German PDS member André Brie attacked the "selfishness of current Member States" and requested that future Member States to be treated on the same basis, as well as increased support for border areas, which could therefore become "workshops for integration"