Brussels, 17/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - Montenegro's application for accession, presented by Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic on 15 December 2008, is blocked in Council even before the Commission has given its opinion on the country's state of political, legislative and technical preparedness. Several member states within the Council's working group on enlargement - in particular the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France and Belgium - are opposed to this dossier being transferred to Coreper with a view to being submitted to the Council of Ministers. “We think that Montenegro has still some work to do, as is also mentioned in the last Commission regular report, before we can seriously treat its candidacy for membership”, a diplomatic source from one of the reticent countries explains. Usually, candidatures for membership are automatically transferred to the Council, which invites the Commission to prepare its opinion (a process lasting one year on average). Normally, it is only once this opinion has been received that the Council begins its true political debate on how appropriate it is, or not, to grant the countries official “candidate country” status (the possible opening of membership talks is the subject of a separate decision). The Czech EU Presidency, of which one of the top priorities is to take forward the European integration process for the Balkan countries, has been seeking since the beginning of the year to have this point added to the Council agenda - but in vain.
The subject will not be on the agenda of the General Affairs/External Relations Council on 23/24 February either (ministers will only hold a general debate during lunch on the Western Balkans during which the question may be evoked informally). The generalised “enlargement fatigue” in the EU after twelve accessions (2004 and 2007), the persistent uncertainty about the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the gloom created by the current economic crisis, as well as the prospect of European elections in June and the renewal of the Commission this autumn do nothing to help the case of Montenegro forward. “For some member states, enlargement has become a taboo”, another diplomat says.
The Commission cannot hide its irritation. “It is important to adopt a pragmatic approach and to deal with each candidature according to its own merits - that is, on a case by case basis. The candidature of Montenegro has arrived. We must therefore logically launch the first step in the process, namely the Council must call on the Commission to prepare its opinion”, says one Commission official, stressing the “technical “ nature of such a decision which, in his view, does not prejudge the political debate that is to follow “in over a year” once the opinion is ready. Commissioner Olli Rehn will hold an informal lunch on Wednesday 18 February with the ambassadors of EU member states (Coreper) on all enlargement-related issues. That of Montenegro's candidature will certainly be a part of it. (H.B./transl.jl)