Brussels, 25/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - French prime minister Dominique de Villepin and the president of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso made a joint appeal on Monday for a suspension of the EU enlargement process after the up and coming accession of Bulgaria and Romania, so that the EU was able to accomplish the necessary institutional reforms before accepting new members such as Croatia and other western Balkan countries. During a joint press conference with Mr de Villepin, the Commission president said that, “European Union enlargement should be done in respect of our conditions and criteria, including our capacity to integrate new members. Following the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, which will be the final allowing for the reunification of Europe, it appears to me that we are not in a position to integrate new members without preliminary institutional reform”. Mr Barroso said that it would be “imprudent” to accept new members before resolving the institutional issue. He also pointed out that the Treaty of Nice included changes to the composition of the European Commission (which will enter into force in 2009) when the EU attains a membership of 27. Barroso affirmed that, “therefore, in any case, following the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, we will have to again revise how the institutions work. This is, I believe, therefore the moment for taking a decision on the Constitutional Treaty”. Mr de Villepin “fully” supported the ideas put forward by Mr Barroso, asserting that, “the EU's absorption criteria is essential: where can we go without becoming unbalanced, without making the European Union less efficient? Following the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, we will reach a new stage and we now have to move forward according to common rules before being able to begin new stages”. On the question of Turkey, Mr de Villepin underlined that Ankara had to respect the “spirit of the letter” of the customs union and the Protocol of Ankara on its extension to new Member States, including Cyprus, “without this, the EU will be obliged to draw its own conclusions on the matter”.
Europe of results/European constitution. Mr de Villepin also said that he entirely agreed with the “Europe of results” pursued by the Barroso Commission, a Europe that has to act and “better respond to the concerns of our citizens by way of very concrete commitments”. Like Barroso, de Villepin thinks that this Europe of results can be prepared on the ground for a future solution to the institutional problem. In connection with the ideas of Nicolas Sarkozy on a “mini-treaty, the Head of the French government replied, “I do not believe that this is the main concern today. Our concern has to be bringing concrete responses to our citizens and getting Europe moving forward, the moment has come to take decision on the institutional dimension”. Following the failure of the Constitution in France and the Netherlands, the constitutional problem “certainly” has to be solved “but I think that minds will be made up as a matter of course”. He also averred that Europe would gather momentum as long as it proved to citizens that it was able to act and “the institutional question will naturally and mechanically sort itself out”. What institutional response? Mr de Villepin did not want to “prejudge” what would come out of the institutional debate and that each period would be proved on its own merit.
Concrete projects. Mr de Villepin explained that there were three priority projects for Europe: growth and jobs, particularly for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises; energy independence. It will be important to develop a “European energy strategy” to facilitate “the emergence of big important European champions based on national champions” and to implement, in the long term, a genuine “broad European energy market”. The prime minister also reiterated his proposal for creating the post of a Special Representative of the EU for Energy (EUROPE 9271), “not for the sake of creating new bodies but for the purpose of having someone at the side of the Commissioner for energy so that he can exert his weight and get things moving in this field”. He also proposed holding a summit between the EU and oil and gas producing countries and to introduce a specific chapter on energy in every partnership agreement concluded with neighbouring countries. Mr de Villepin appealed for coordination of strategic gas and oil reserves between EU Member States; immigration. The prime minister said that “we need a European approach…This means development agreements with countries of emigration and an improvement in the conditions of legal immigration in our countries. This also means fighting effectively against illegal immigration, through the conclusion of re-admission agreements at a European level, the strengthening of operational resources of the European Frontex Agency and the rapid implementation of a European border police”.
Location of European Parliament. Mr de Villepin pointed out that France was consistent in this dossier and would “defend Strasbourg and defend the treaties”. “We are convinced that the treaties have to be respected and are perfectly confident that they will be” (EUROPE 9270 on the petition of MEPs on single location).