Copenhagen, 15/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Council meeting ended in Copenhagen at around 22: 00 hrs on Friday in a 25 country meeting and a family photo of all the members of the European family of the future. The President of the European Council, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, seized the opportunity to stress the truly historic nature of this moment, which he described as ending the "time of separation". He said they now had a common vision of an integrated Europe, welcoming the "ten countries which will join us" to share "our common future" and "strengthen our Union".
"This will be the first time that Europe will be a single Europe", exclaimed the President of the European Commission Romano Prodi at the final press conference. Like all the other heads of state and government present, Prodi echoed the historic nature of the Copenhagen meeting. Describing the agreement between the EU15 and the candidate countries as bearing witness to solidarity, Prodi reminded his audience that "We have signed with ten countries but the enlargement process will not stop there". He explained that it was now a matter of speeding up the preparations for Romania and Bulgaria and intensifying cooperation with Turkey. He noted that from the beginning of next year, the Commission would be publishing a proposal to double pre-accession aid to Turkey, noting that what was needed today was a genuine debate about Europe's borders, mentioning the creation of a "circle of friends from Russia to the Black Sea and to the south of the Mediterranean".
Commissioner Günter Verheugen asserted that the Commission would "in full loyalty" be preparing an assessment report on the respect of political criteria by Turkey, taking account above all of the "real implementation" of reforms, that must not remain "theoretical". He did, however, say he was "fully confident" and felt the new government was aware of the commitments it had made. In answer to a question, Verheugen said that it may be of an advantage for the report to be prepared by a "Commission escaping unharmed from external pressures".
Very tough negotiations
"I have to admit - during the afternoon, I went through very tough negotiations with some Prime Ministers and managed to get my EU15 partners to accept some concessions. I did not really doubt, but things seemed long and hard. It's incredible that we finally managed to conclude before midnight", admitted Rasmussen, answering a reporter asking about the difficulties encountered during the negotiations. Mentioning the change made in terms of the breakdown of the Polish milk quota, he added a little later: "During the day, I became very familiar with agriculture (…), perhaps that is was my future will be: Agriculture Minister". Answering another question, Rasmussen added: "I may have been rough and tough this afternoon (…), but I believe that everyone will forgive me because we seized this historic opportunity to reunite Europe".
EU-NATO agreement agreed and formalised on Monday - Declarations on Middle East and Iraq
High Representative Javier Solana announced at the press conference that the North Atlantic Council had taken a decision concerning the agreement (see Saturday's EUROPE, p. 6) that will enable the provision of NATO capacities for ESDP missions. He added that "An EU-NATO meeting will be held on Monday to formalise all this", exclaiming, "It's finished, it's behind us!".
As expected, the European Council also endorsed two declarations on the Middle East and Iraq, confirming the priority it attaches to the adoption of the roadmap and a timetable for the creation of a Palestinian state at the meeting of the Quartet scheduled for 20 December 2002 in Washington. In terms of Iraq, the EU15 reaffirmed their support to the weapons inspection process currently underway.
New Member States to be fully involved in IGC work - Cypriots pledge to pursue negotiations aiming to reach agreement by 28 February 2003 - Negotiations to be opened with Turkey without delay if it meets political criteria in December 2004
The conclusions note that the European Convention will have to present the results of its deliberations in time for the June 2003 European Council in Thessalonica. At the exchange of views with Chairman Giscard d'Estaing, several heads of state and government laid emphasis on the timetable (see Saturday's EUROPE, p. 8). The new Member States will be fully participating in the work of the next Intergovernmental Conference and the new Treaty will be signed after their accession, the conclusions point out. The conclusions include the mechanism for the new Member States' participation in the institutions after the 1 May 2004 that was decided upon by the General Affairs Council of 18 November 2002. In this connection, the text notes that consultation with the European Parliament should be over by the end of January 2003.
In terms of Cyprus, the European Council confirmed its preference for the island to join as a reunited island, but pointed out that failing that, the Republic of Cyprus would be allowed to join the EU with the application of the Community acquis being provisionally suspended for the northern part of the island. The European Council hailed the eventual pledge by both Greek and Turkish Cypriots after two days of negotiations in Copenhagen to pursue negotiations with the aim of reaching an overall settlement to the Cypriot problem by 28 February 2003 on the basis of Kofi Annan's proposals.
The European Council confirmed its ambition to welcome Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union in 2007. Pre-accession aid for the two countries will have to be increased by 20% in 2004 and a further 20% in 2006. In terms of Turkey, the text of the conclusions (see Saturday's EUROPE, p. 3) was changed at the last minute: the launch of negotiations will take place immediately if Turkey respects the Copenhagen criteria by the time of the assessment scheduled for the end of 2004.
Agreement over EUR 40.8 billion financial package for future Member States
The negotiations finally ended in a small increase in the overall financial package for enlargement in the years 2004-2006, an increase of EUR 408 million from EUR 40.4 billion (in commitment credits) to EUR 40.8 billion. The additional 408 millions euros are made up of:
An additional allowance of EUR 108 million for Poland, to help it cope with the necessary investment (particularly in terms of external border control) with a view to its future accession to the Schengen area. Adding this extra 108 million to the 172 million already foreseen in the EU's initial offer, we get a "Schengen facility" for Poland of a total of 280 million euros for 2004-2006;
Additional budget compensation of a total of EUR 300 million for the other 9 candidate countries for the years 2005 and 2006, viz: EUR 10.1 million for Cyprus; 83.1 for the Czech Republic; 5.8 million for Estonia; 55.9 million for Hungary; 48.7 million for Slovenia; 12.6 million for Lithuania; 6.8 million for Latvia; 22.7 million for Slovakia; and 54.3 million for Malta. This additional 300 million funding is in addition to the lump sums already agreed in the EU's initial offer for all the ten countries, in other words EUR 1.260 billion in 2004, 429 million in 2005 and 296 million in 2006.
Alongside this slight improvement to the financial package, the Danish Presidency's final compromise, (which made it possible to conclude the accession negotiations) also contained the following new elements (compared with the initial offer):
Poland will benefit in 2005 and 2006 from an extraordinary budget facility or "cash-flow facility" of a total of 1 billion euros (550 million in 2005 and 450 million in 2006) which will simply be paid as it is into the Polish budget.
This facility is due only because of the fact that Poland will have the right to benefit from EUR 1 billion in commitment appropriations in 2005-2006 from the Structural Funds before the due date, which was after 2007. This additional cash will enable the Polish authorities to better deal with budgetary difficulties encountered in the first three years after accession. This will involve a simple transfer of money to Poland's budget, without and direct impact on the EU budget;
b) the Czech Republic has obtained the same special "cash-flow" facility but for EUR 100 million only. This sum will be paid in the form of net payments to the Czech budget: EUR 50 million in 2005 and 50 million in 2006;
c) the "topping-up ceilings for direct EU agricultural aid through national payments have been increased for eight of the ten candidates. Therefore all of them (except for Slovenia and Cyprus, which will receive even more favourable systems) are allowed to increase Community aid (25% in 2004, 30% in 2005 and 35% in 2006) up to 55% in 2004, 60% in 2005 and 65% in 2006;
d) the milk delivery aspects of the Polish milk quota have been increased by 8 million tons by way of an internal transfer (through the "direct sales" section) but which does not in fact increase the total volume of the quota;
e) Malta has been granted a transition period up to 1 January 2010 for its zero level VAT (instead of the 5% minimum usually applied in the EU) on medicines and foodstuffs in the EU;
f) A declaration will be incorporated into the Accession Treaty underlining that Austria and the Czech Republic will respect their bilateral commitments in the "Melk Process" on nuclear safety of the Temelin nuclear reactor;
g) the Czech Republic has finally had to accept the 5 year maximum transition period requested by the EU to restrict Czech heavy-goods vehicles onto national road cabotage markets in current EU Member States. However, Prague, will continue to negotiate with Germany in view of obtaining bilateral quotas that will allow gradual access beginning in 2004;
h) Lithuania has obtained a principled agreement (the methods for which still need ironing out) with the EU taking responsibility for additional costs resulting from the EU/Russia transit agreement on Kaliningrad, as well as the political commitment that the EU will abide by in an "appropriate" way on aid for closing down the Ignalina nuclear reactor beyond 2006;
all the candidates obtained payment facilities for their future budgetary contributions to the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Prime Ministers and candidate Heads of State unanimously welcomed the agreements. In a statement to the press the Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller declared, "We have come from a Poland of solidarity to join a European Union of solidarity". The Polish European Affairs Minister, Danuta Huebner, stated that, "It's a real success story for Poland…we have obtained practically everything we wanted".
According to Mr Schröder, the level of expenditure
is around EUR 1.8 billion under the Berlin ceiling
Gerhard Schröder, the German Chancellor, informed the press that, "It's a great day for Europe and therefore for Germany", the Chancellor added that "enlargement must follow a deepening of the process", which was indeed going to happen. Mr Schröder stressed that although Heads of State and Governments had gone, "beyond the figures planned for at the European Council of Brussels", the results would be obtained in a context of "a greater degree of discipline". The German Chancellor also explained that spending planned on enlargement for 2004-2006 was around EUR 1.8 billion under the financial perspectives ceiling set out at Berlin. He was of the opinion that Polish requests for more funding was "understandable".
Mr Chirac says he's prepared to take those responsible
for the "Prestige" oil slick to court
The French President welcomed the conclusion of accession negotiations and declared to the press that, "It's a rather emotional moment for those who have participated in the history of recent years…to see another step taken in the direction of the union of Europe". Jacques Chirac added that, "We have not yet finished the process but we've taken an essential step forward". In a reference to the European Council's conclusions on maritime safety (which were strengthened at the end of the evening), Mr Chirac indicated that he would be asking for the legal authorities to open criminal proceedings against responsible for the "Prestige oil slick as soon as French coastlines were affected.
Mr Chirac mentioned that the owner, captain and the charterer of the boat could face prosecution, as well as other people involved, such as the insurer of the boat, the company that categorised the boat and which gave the oil tanker a flag of convenience from the Bahamas. Mr Chirac concluded that, "We cannot remain in a system of generalised irresponsibility where one can do what one wants without fear of being caught".
Mr Durrao Barroso pleased that specific situation of Portuguese farming has been taken on board
The Portuguese Prime Minister, José Manuel Durao Barroso stated that, "We have succeeded in what appeared to be just a dream, the unification of Europe". Mr Durao Barroso was especially happy with the European Council taking into account the specific situation of farming in Portugal, which had already mentioned in March 1999 in the conclusions of the European council of Berlin. Portugal is therefore requesting additional aid to compensate for the consequences of the current way the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) work. Mr Durao Barroso explained that the Commission had called on by the European Council to present a report analysing the Portuguese agricultural situation before the accession of the new Member States and hoped that " everything would sort itself out".
Mr Schüssel optimistic about Alpine transit plan
The Austrian Chancellor was very optimistic about the regulation to be introduced on the ecopoints case, in the follow-up to the European Council's decision to ask the Council to adopt a temporary solution before the end of the year, on the transit of heavy goods vehicles in Austria between 2004-2006. This includes an invitation to the Commission to present a proposal for a new "Eurovignette" directive before the end of the first half of 2003. In addressing the press, the Austrian Chancellor explained that, "I didn't day that we had obtained it (the solution) but we have a good basis". Wolgang Schüssel also considered that the "success" of the accession negotiations was due to the work of the consecutive Union Presidencies and proof that the Community method functioned well.
Mr Aznar welcomes conclusions on strengthening maritime safety
Spanish Prime Minister, José Maria Aznar believed that the agreement on the financial package respected the Berlin decisions on financial perspectives. He welcomed the fact that negotiations had not been conditioned by commitments on future common EU reforms. He also welcomed the solid and unanimous conclusions of the European Council on strengthening maritime security. He indicated that Heads of State and Government had asked the Commission to examine issues linked to liability and corresponding sanctions. He also indicated that Member States were committed to implement "without delay" the most recent conclusions of the Transport and Environment Councils. After having listed the different measures available to his country for dealing with the consequences of the sinking of the "Prestige", Mr Aznar indicated that Morocco had proposed to him to authorise Galician trawlers operating in Moroccan waters.
Mr Verhofstadt believes enlargement will allow EU to fully play "key role"
The Belgian Prime Minister believes that enlargement of another ten Member States will put an "end to the 20th century" and enable the European Union to "fully play a key role in the future". Guy Verhofstadt does not consider that the European Union will be watered down, "especially if we can obtain a positive results at the Convention and the IGC…the next big challenge". Mr Verhofstadt was of the opinion that the EUR 40.8 billion package constituted "much more than a financial decision". According to the Belgian Prime Minister, this financial package would allow for economic growth in the new Member States and enable immigration problems to be "mastered more efficiently, as we are going to create wealth and welfare in these countries". He even predicted that in ten years time these countries would have "the same positive results" as those registered by Spain, Portugal and Greece. In connection with Turkey, the Belgian Prime Minister welcomed the fact that Member States had fixed a single date without delay between opening negotiations and their actual launch.
Mr Lipponen considers accession of Baltic countries will strengthen cooperation with Russia
The Finnish Prime Paavo Lipponnen welcomed the "accession of the Baltic countries, at first to NATO, decided on at the Prague Summit: Editor's note) then today, to the EU". According to the Finnish Prime Minister, these countries "have finally joined the family to which they belong". He also added that EU enlargement would allow these countries to strengthen "our cooperation in a number of other areas of common interest", such as the economy, security and developing cooperation with Russia (especially in maritime safety).
Mr Blair believes Copenhagen decisions illustrate "new Europe"
Tony Blair the British Prime Minister believes that the three decisions on enlargement, Turkey and relations between the EU and NATO, "redefine Europe, which is becoming a different Europe". Mr Blair said that they had finally succeeded in what they had been waiting for for forty years, particularly in the adoption of the date for Turkey. He also explained that the agreement between the European Union and NATO "very clearly" shows that European defence will not compete with NATO but complement it. He also considered that candidate countries had an idea of the EU that was "close to the British idea". He explained that they had fought very hard to enter the European Union and had fought very hard for their own countries. The British Prime Minister pointed out that although negotiations had been very hard and detaled, in connection with figures, this did not take anything away from the historic character of the Summit.
Bertie Ahern ready to help in candidate countries' referendums
The Irish Prime Minister announced that with the benefit of his experience, he was ready to go to Poland and other candidate countries to support the "yes" side in accession referendums. He also highlighted that his country would reflect upon the organisation of a "very special" event for the candidate countries under the Irish Presidency in the first half of 2004.
Jean-Claude Juncker believes that the new Europe will be difficult to manage
The Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker acknowledged that, "Another history begins, it will be less dramatic than that previously but just as difficult to imagine in this moment of enthusiasm". He also added that, "negotiations had often been difficult, and even on the point of breaking down but common sense had won out". Mr Juncker also underlined that Romania and Bulgaria should no be left out and were going to join in 2007. He considered that the decision on "Turkey" was "wise".
Silvio Berlusconi would like a European Union that stretched from Russia to Israel
The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi declared to the press that he was in favour of a Europe that incorporated Moldova, the Ukraine, Byelorussia and the Russian Federation. He also believed that this should include Israel. Silvio Berlusconi was particularly satisfied about the decision on Turkey.