Once again, Eneko Landbaru, Director General for "Enlargement" has come out with some extremely interesting things, it's a habit of his. He was addressing Ambassadors, politicians, businessmen and journalists during one of the European Policy Center (EPC) breakfasts. An overall view of his contribution figures in our bulletin yesterday on page 10. I would like to highlight some of the assertions and some of the things he said that particularly struck me.
1. Opposition to free-trade zones. Mr Landbaru said, "with respect to former European Commissioners, I believe that proposals for free-trade zones in third countries was a mistake, as they do not represent a valid solution to problems of their relations with the Union". It was with much interest that I heard the Commission Director General express himself thus, with the veiled reference (not too veiled) to the policy of Leon Brittan, who succeeded in committing the Commission to an unrealistic direction, fatal for Community cohesion and the negative effects of which are still being felt today in some cases where it has been difficult to correct.
Mr Landbaru believes that the "everything but the institutions" formula used by President Prodi when addressing the European Parliament in his definition of relations with "neighbouring countries", drawing on the four freedoms of movement (of goods, people, services and capital) does not a priori rule out possible development but cannot be part of the current objectives, especially if it is not necessary for strengthening links between the Union and the countries in question, whether they are in the East or the Mediterranean
2. Support for different solutions country-by-country. Mr Landuru insisted on the need to differentiate between the links established between neighbouring countries of the Union, which cannot (or not yet) aspire to accession, according to the degree of development and the level of democracy in each country. The Union must create "additional instruments" by drawing on the "political engineering" used with those that are currently accession countries: financial aid (but with conditions), cooperation, participation in EU programmes etc. This direction will allow for "the quagmire characterising the situation with Mediterranean countries" to be overcome. I interpret this sentence as the recognition of the fact that the objective of creating a united economic area of EU/Mediterranean countries, based on creating a free-trade zone by 2010 (!) is not realistic and must be immediately abandoned if we want to get out of the present stalemate.
3. Russia will never be an accession candidate. Mr Landbaru does not believe that Russian accession is possible (even though an EU Head of Government insisted on this absurd refrain), as Moscow seeks to play an autonomous role in the world and would never agree to "delegations of sovereignty", necessary for joining the Union. Russia will therefore be one of the "neighbouring countries", which do not share the perspective or intention of becoming a member of the Union and it this case, strengthens the demand for "differentiated solutions".
4. Urgency of debate on Turkey: Opening accession negotiations with Turkey will depend on the Commission report next year on respect for the already well-known conditions, especially the indispensable political conditions. If this report is positive, Mr Landbaru believes that the EU cannot go back on its word and say that "this will be a disaster". This is why he believes that it is crucial that a large public debate begins at once, which will include those "against" and those "for" accession so that the possible accession "is not decided in catamini but democratically and transparently".
5. "We don't have any lessons to give…" In connection with ongoing enlargement, Mr Landbaru reaffirmed his admiration for the efforts of accession countries, which in his opinion, totally support a strong and unified Europe and which don't intend to water down enlargement (with a question mark regarding the attitude of Poland on some aspects). "We don't have any lessons to give and we are sometimes arrogant", he pointed out, highlighting that, "Union enlargement has never been carried out with such precise and rigorous rules; with permanent monitoring on implementation of the Community Acquis and with, for the first time, the possibility of safeguard measures by the Fifteen in cases of failing displayed by accession countries".
6. It's not the right time to be setting out the definitive borders of the Union. With Romania and Bulgaria coming after the ten accession countries, it will then be the turn of the Balkan countries, Mr Landbaru was of the view that it was not the right time to be re-launching the debate on the definitive borders of the Union. Individual cases that are still pending have to be settled: Turkey, Ukraine, Byelorussia, Moldavia etc. There are limits to what public opinion can take on board.