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To
help everyone to keep track of the EU's continuing
enlargement process, this newsletter is published
by the European Commission's Enlargement Directorate
General. It provides a topical and lively account
of the progress, the problems, the preparations and
the politics of enlargement. ENLARGEMENT NEWS appears
twice a month, highlighting key developments in the
EU, the member states and the aspirant countries.
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Wide reactions
to accession date for Bulgaria and Romania
The European Commission's recommendation
that Bulgaria and Romania should become EU members
on 1 January 2007 (see special issue of Enlargement
News of September 26) has generated wide reactions
across Europe.
The EPP-ED Group welcomed the prospect
of accession on 1 January 2007. "Romania and
Bulgaria have made good progress in the last months
and years. Their efforts were not in vain and we are
looking forward to their successful membership in
the European Union", said EPP-ED Chairman Hans-Gert
Poettering. The setting of clearly defined benchmarks
was also welcomed by Poettering, who underlined the
need for a continued reform process in order for all
European standards to be met.
European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and
European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn
flew immediately to Bulgaria and Romania after
their announcement of the Commission's recommendation.
In Bucharest they met President of Romania Traian
Basescu, Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu.
In Bulgaria they met the President and Prime
Minister. At a press conference in Sofia, President
Barroso said: "Today I came to Bulgaria
mainly to celebrate. To celebrate and to congratulate
the people of Bulgaria. Your country has achieved
a huge work and succeeded well". |
The President of the European People’s
Party, Wilfried Martens, welcomed the decision. "The
EU is now completing the reunification of the European
continent”, he stated.
Martin Schulz, Socialist group leader
in the European Parliament, said: "The construction
of Europe is pressing ahead. It is without precedent
anywhere else in the world. Romania and Bulgaria belong
to Europe. They are most welcome. This decision is
no less than making good a division which occurred
on our continent after the Second World War. It was
overdue."
Diana Wallis MEP, leader of the UK
Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament, said
the EU should now treat Bulgaria and Romania "as
proper members. That will be the test, especially,
in respect of the free movement of their citizens".
And looking ahead, she added: "For the future
there must be a certainty that negotiations with countries
like Turkey and Croatia must be exactly that: real
negotiations, not just going through the motions to
reach a foregone conclusion."
Annemie Neyts, President of the European
Liberal Democrats, also expressed her satisfaction
at the decision. "We appreciate all the reforms
that have been carried out in both countries",
she said. She hoped that the “general public will
be properly informed of the significant progress made
by Bulgaria and Romania to join the EU and be made
aware of the preparations preceding the enlargement”.
The European Citizens Action Service
welcomed the Commission's decision, but said it was
right to impose conditions to encourage the fight
against corruption, a fully independent judiciary
and a modern administration. "But EU policy towards
the governments should not spill over in new restrictions
on European citizenship free movement rights".
UNICE, the Confederation of European
Business, hailed the decisions as "a step forward
based on merits", but asked at the same time
"Is the EU prepared?" It listed remaining
"key challenges for the successful accession
of Romania and Bulgaria", including strengthening
the rule of law, modernising customs and border procedures,
and ensuring the full application of EU product standards.
"Romania can now face its future
as a full member of the new Europe with confidence
and optimism. This is great news for the future prosperity
of the Romanian people", said Dinu Patriciu,
chairman of the Rompetrol Group, Romania’s second
largest oil company, and Chairman of the Alliance
of Romanian Employers’ Confederations, the Romanian
member of UNICE, the Confederation of European Business.
"We need to use our membership to drive forward
reforms to Romania's economy and our democracy, political
systems, public administration and judicial systems
have to reach the highest European standards and fully
enshrine the rule of law".
Jonathan
Scheele, Head of the EC Delegation in Romania,
said in a statement on September 26, "The
Commission’s report is objective and very clear:
as of today, Bulgaria’s and Romania’s preparation
is not 100% perfect, but clearly the critical
mass has been achieved. Today is a moment to
celebrate. Romania has gone through an impressive
reform process. Romania and its people are to
be congratulated for their successful efforts
to complete preparations for accession. Without
slackening those efforts, it is now also time
for Romania and for Romanians to look ahead,
and to give themselves a clear vision of Romania’s
role in the EU and of the EU’s role in Romania.
I look forward to welcoming into the EU a strong
and confident Romania, one which is capable
of using to the full the opportunities the membership
will offer; and one which can contribute to
ensuring that Europe can meet the challenges
ahead." |
The environmental group WWF insisted
that the European Union "must help save some
of Europe's greatest natural treasures, by making
sure that EU environmental laws are properly implemented
in Romania and Bulgaria". It pointed out that
with the accession of these two countries, "two
environmental hotspots will soon become part of the
EU borders. The Carpathian Mountains and the Danube
Delta are included in the WWF's 'Global 200', the
two hundred most valuable natural areas on earth.
However, both Romania and Bulgaria are falling short
in implementing the EU environmental legislation,
particularly the EU's Habitats and Birds Directives
establishing the Natura 2000 network of specially
protected sites", said WWF.
The EU Presidency said "the
Council intends to thoroughly investigate the Commission's
report and recommendations and make an overall assessment
of the key issues. The views of the European Parliament
will naturally be taken note of by the Council."
Further
enlargement under discussion too
There is also discussion for continued
enlargement, after the accession of Bulgaria and Romania.
The call from European Commission President Jose Manuel
Barroso for an institutional agreement to be reached
before further enlargements (see special issue of
Enlargement News of September 26) has elicited comment
too.
"These internal debates, these
practicalities – no matter how complex – can never
be a credible reason for not opening our doors to
new members", said Regional Policy Commissioner
Danuta Hübner in a speech in Edinburgh on September
21. "It is our responsibility to ensure that
the necessary reforms are put in place, and I believe
that this can be done."
The European Liberal Democrats does
not believe that EU enlargement should stop after
the accession of Romania and Bulgaria. “We are fully
united in honouring commitments that have been made
on enlargement to Croatia, the Western Balkan States
and Turkey. The current accession negotiations will
take years and will leave time for the adaptation
of the EU institutions,” said its President Annemie
Neyts.
Diana Wallis MEP, leader of the UK
Liberal Democrats in the European Parliament, took
a more critical view. She said: "For the future
there must be a certainty that negotiations with countries
like Turkey and Croatia must be exactly that: real
negotiations, not just going through the motions to
reach a foregone conclusion."
And during the debate on Turkey in
the European Parliament on September 26, Socialist
Group vice-president Hannes Swoboda insisted on the
need for an update to the existing treaties, to allow
for further enlargements: "Whilst the EU's capacity
to take Turkey on board is an issue that we will have
to address in due course, there is no reason for it
to affect the negotiation process. We have repeatedly
pointed out that the Nice Treaty is an inadequate
basis for further EU enlargements after Romania and
Bulgaria. The EU will have to bring reforms into force
within the framework of the constitutional process
before it can enlarge further."
The US State Department urged the
EU to keep an open mind about adding other countries.
A spokesman said on September 26: "The EU is
wrestling with these issues of expansion and at what
pace to take the talks that they have ongoing with
a variety of other countries. Those matters are up
to the Europeans, of course, but the United States
certainly would encourage the EU to continue to keep
open a European horizon for a number of states, including
those in the Balkans and Turkey, as well".
"Last"
meeting of EU-Bulgaria Joint Parliamentary Committee
The 22nd meeting of the EU-Bulgaria
joint parliamentary committee took place in Brussels
on September 13-14 – for what was its last meeting,
since the committee will cease to exist once Bulgaria
accedes to the EU. In a "final statement",
the committee reiterated its "strong support"
for the accession of Bulgaria to the European Union
on 1 January 2007, and listed extensively the recent
progress made by the country in meeting accession
requirements, notably in justice and home affairs,
fight against organised crime, fraud, corruption,
money laundering, integration of minority groups and
child protection, and of agriculture.
It recognised that "Bulgaria
continues to fulfil the political criteria for EU
membership", noting "significant developments
in all areas", and welcoming "the determination
of the Bulgarian authorities to continue by paying
serious attention to working on further improvement
of these issues after accession". It particularly
stressed "the need for giving high priority to
disability in all government policies and programmes",
and urged timely implementation of further measures
in favour of Roma.
It said it expected measures to combat
organised crime and corruption and to complete the
reform of the judiciary "to be implemented vigorously
and to produce tangible and visible results",
and "to see clear guarantees from Bulgaria for
the implementation as from 1 January 2007 of all the
European standards in the area of freedom, security
and justice."
And it took note "with satisfaction"
that "the establishment of the Integrated Administration
and Control System is drawing to a close and the establishment
of the Land Parcel Identification System is progressing
fast." It said it expected Bulgaria to be able
to apply the Common Agricultural Policy and the requirements
of the internal market efficiently from the day of
its accession.
"Bulgaria’s continuing role
in promoting regional security and stability in South-East
Europe" won a special complimentary mention,
"as well as its readiness to share with its neighbours
its experience in the field of European integration".
The committee also welcomed the ratification
of the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria and Romania
to the EU by 21 Member States, and urged the remaining
Member States that have not yet ratified it to do
so without further delay.
Romanian
local government seeking greater involvement
Local and regional government representatives
in Romania are still dissatisfied with the degree
of cooperation they enjoy with national government,
according to Michel Delebarre, President of the EU's
Committee of the Regions. Following his visit to the
country on September 6-7, he said that local authorities
are particularly concerned at the lack of clarity
over the co-financing mechanisms envisaged for local
government, even going so far as to suggest this may
constitute a breach of EU rules.
Delebarre also heard concerns expressed
during his visit over lack of consultation of local
authorities in Romania's implementation of the Lisbon
Strategy. "For the Committee of the Regions,
it is a priority that the local and regional level
should take technical and political ownership of the
Lisbon Strategy, because we are convinced that local
actors are key to stimulating growth and employment",
he said.
The Committee of the Regions President
has written to European Enlargement Commissioner Olli
Rehn raising some of these concerns, and enquiring
as to how the Commission assesses national cooperation
with regional authorities. As Delebarre commented,
the Commission already pointed out in its previous
report that this cooperation needed to be improved.
"We are convinced that the process of integrating
Romania will not come to an end on January 1 2007
and that its success will depend in large measure
on the involvement of the local and regional level."
European
Parliament adopts its report on Turkey
The European Parliament went ahead
with its debate on Turkey on September 26, during
its plenary session in Strasbourg. The report drafted
by the Parliament's Foreign Affairs committee (see
Enlargement News of September 4) was adopted by 429
votes in favour to 71 against, with 125 abstentions,
but with some further changes. It retained a critical
tone, but some amendments had the effect of easing
the sharpest passages in the draft report.
MEPs pointed to what they saw as
a slowdown in the reform process. Relations with Cyprus
and Armenia, as well as restrictions on freedom of
expression and religion, figured prominently in the
report. But MEPs welcomed some recent steps by the
Turkish government in the fields of combating torture,
fighting corruption and extending women's rights.
The report reiterates the Parliament's
position that negotiations with Turkey are an "open-ended
process, and [do] not lead a priori and automatically
to accession while recalling that "the EU's capacity
to absorb Turkey while maintaining the momentum of
integration is an important consideration in the general
interest of both the EU and Turkey."
MEPs called on the government in
Ankara to recognize the Republic of Cyprus, withdraw
its forces from the island and lift its embargo on
Cypriot vessels and aircraft. The report reminds Turkey
that a lack of progress in implementing the Ankara
protocol "will have serious implications for
the negotiation process, and could even bring it to
a halt." It also calls on Turkey to refrain from
"tension-prone military activities."
The House welcomed "the opening
of broadcasting in Kurdish" while nevertheless
noting the continued intimidation of civil society
representatives in the South East of the country.
The report "strongly condemns the resurgence
of terrorist violence on the part of the PKK"
and "calls on the PKK to declare and respect
an immediate ceasefire." It also pleads for "a
democratic solution to the Kurdish issue following
Prime Minister Erdogan's encouraging statement last
year."
Despite the recent acquittal of the
novelist Elif Shafak, the EP remained troubled by
the remaining barriers to freedom of expression in
Turkey. It called for the abolition or amendment of
those provisions of the Penal Code which threaten
European free speech norms. The Parliament also expressed
its "serious concern" about the "non-respect
for women's rights" and the high role of the
military in Turkish public life.
The European Parliament rejected
a provision that would have otherwise called the acknowledgement
of the Armenian genocide a "precondition"
for Turkey's European Union accession. But it stressed
that a country on the road to membership has to come
to terms with and recognise its past – which means
facilitating researchers, intellectuals and academics
working on this question, ensuring them the access
to the historical archives and providing them with
relevant documents.
The EU Presidency promised to take
due note of the views of the European Parliament,
and said it shared the concerns over Turkey's reform
process. "Full and effective implementation of
the reforms is of utmost importance for Turkey to
ensure the irreversibility and sustainability of the
changes. Concrete results are required", said
Finnish European Affairs Minister Paula Lehtomäki.
"We also share your views on
Turkey's limited progress in such crucial fields as
fundamental freedoms and human rights. Even if Turkey
has made significant progress compared to the situation
five years ago, further tangible reforms are necessary
especially in the areas of freedom of expression,
freedom of religion, cultural rights, women's rights,
and combat against torture and ill-treatment",
she said.
"The Union will continue to
support Turkey in its efforts, but progress will depend
on Turkey's performance. The accession process will
proceed provided that Turkey respects its commitments
to the carrying out of the reforms and satisfies the
existing obligations", the minister concluded.
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn
also noted that the momentum for reform had slowed.
Progress had been made, he said, and there was an
EU commitment towards Turkey. "The integration
of Turkey would be of mutual benefit", he said,
adding "the EU needs a prosperous and stable
Turkey". But the negotiations were "an open
process" with no automatic guarantees. Progress
in the negotiations depends "first and foremost
on the pace of reforms on the ground related to the
Copenhagen political criteria", he said.
Rehn highlighted freedom of expression
as a problem. "The judiciary proceedings have
a chilling effect and damage the important work carried
out by journalists, intellectuals and activists",
he said. "It is now high time that Turkey amends
the restrictive articles in the penal code and brings
them into line with the European Convention on Human
Rights". He also insisted on church property
rights and the need to lift restrictions on the training
of clergy. And in respect of south-east Turkey, he
urged a government policy not purely based on security
considerations. Regarding Cyprus, the Ankara Protocol
must indeed be implemented, he said, but an end to
the economic isolation of northern Cyprus could not
be linked to this.
Speaking on behalf of the EPP-ED
group, German MEP Elmar Brok stressed the issues of
human rights, minority rights, freedom of religion
and of expression. These, he said, were "preconditions"
for EU membership. For the Socialists, Jan Marinus
Wiersma argued that the EU "needs Turkey as a
partner", and that the negotiation process was
the best way to build better relations with the country.
He insisted that there must be no ambiguity: the aim
of negotiations was to achieve Turkish membership.
UK Liberal Andrew Duff stressed that EP's role was
"to promote parliamentary democracy in Turkey",
which meant encouraging Turkey's modernisation, and
not putting up "spurious blocks" to the
process.
Cypriot MEP Kyriacos Triantaphyllides
stressed Turkey's obligation to open its ports and
airports to the Republic of Cyprus and lift the veto
on the participation of Cyprus in international organisations
and multilateral treaties. Italian MEP Vittorio Agnoletto,
recently returned from a visit to Turkey as part of
a human rights subcommittee delegation, raised the
Kurdish issue: "The Turkish government cannot
use the 'war on terror' to deprive millions of Kurds
their political, social and economic rights. Of course
we condemn terrorism but it is unacceptable that Prime
Minister Erdogan continues to deny the existence of
the "Kurdish question", the possibility
for the Kurds to speak their own language, to have
more political autonomy, to be recognised as human
beings. Erdogan must officially meet with the legal
pro-Kurd DTP party and work for a 'Road Map for Peace'",
he said.
The final report, as voted, can be seen here
European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said
in a September 21 interview with Euronews that
he is disappointed in Turkey's efforts to join
the European Union. "We are not very encouraged
by the news we are getting," Barroso said.
"I think Turkey has to understand that
it must respect its obligations and commitments". |
Mandelson
urges "rational" debate on Turkey
The European Union has a responsibility
to ensure that the discussion of its relations with
Turkey is conducted in a constructive manner, stated
European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson in Istanbul
on September 15. And so does Turkey, he added. In
a speech entitled "Globalisation, enlargement
and the debate on Turkey's place in the EU",
he argued that making the economic and political case
for globalisation in Europe will be crucial in ensuring
a "rational" debate on Turkey’s place in
the EU.
In Mandelson's view, many of the
EU opponents of Turkish membership are also the opponents
of globalisation. "They reflect wider questions
in European society: unemployment, migration, social
tensions. Genuine anxieties that need to be addressed.
It is hard to have a rational debate on Turkey and
the EU while Turkey is the projected image of everything
we fear about a changing world. So Europe has a side
of the bargain to keep", he said.
Europe’s response to the economic
challenges of globalisation will impact on the ongoing
debate on Turkish membership of the EU, he told the
audience at the Centre for European Reform Bosphorus
Conference. "The economic costs of the failure
to make the case for enlargement and globalisation
will be felt first in Europe, in relative economic
decline and a shrinking fiscal base for our welfare
states. But the political repercussions will also
be felt here in Turkey: in the rising argument against
Turkey’s place in the EU". He went on to insist:
"Europe’s responsibility is to ensure that does
not happen."
But Turkey also has the power to
shape perceptions and defy prejudices, he added, urging
Turkey to persist with economic and legal reforms.
It should also ratify and implement the Ankara protocol,
he underlined. The current refusal to do so "plays
into the hands of those who have reservations about
Turkish accession and creates a justification for
pushing the whole membership process into a siding",
said the Commissioner.
"We
need to keep on enlarging", says Mandelson
"On reflection, on balance, on the evidence,
we need to keep on enlarging. Enlargement is
central to Europe’s response to globalisation
and it is often described as our most successful
policy. This is a bold claim, but one that I
believe is justified. In expanding from six
to twenty five Member States, we have created
the world's largest economy. The world’s biggest
market for EU producers. A bigger magnet for
inward investment. Since the completion of the
single market in 1992 foreign direct investment
in the European Union has multiplied 15 times,
intra-European trade in goods has increased
by a third, added 1.8% to EU GDP and created
around 2.5 million jobs. Enlarging and uniting
has made us stronger."
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Turkey needs to "convince European
companies that Turkey is a reliable and profitable
place to do business, a hub for the Mediterranean
and a logical gateway to the single market for key
goods like textiles." The Commissioner stated
unambiguously that Turkey’s "place should in
due course be in the European Union", he told
his audience: "The strongest argument Turkey
can offer in the face of those who seek to slow down
and even stall its accession process is an unwavering
commitment to the responsibilities of membership:
not as an obligation but as a choice and a European
vocation."
EU Council
reviews Western Balkans
EU Foreign Affairs Ministers at the
General Affairs and External Relations Council on
September 18 adopted conclusions on Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Montenegro, and Serbia.
On Bosnia and Herzegovina, where
elections are scheduled for October 1, the Council
expressed concern at "recent cases of inflammatory
rhetoric used during the election campaign" (an
allusion to separatist calls from some political figures
in the country). The Council "reaffirmed its
unequivocal commitment to the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement
and the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina".
Because of the envisaged closure of the Office of
the High Representative, which has until now assured
international supervision of the country's political
life, this election "will be particularly significant,
as the leaders chosen will have to take greater responsibility
for the realisation of the country's European perspective",
said EU ministers.
The Council also regretted that many
key reforms necessary for advancing the talks on a
Stabilisation and Association Agreement had been delayed
in 2006, and it called for early agreement on and
implementation of the reforms necessary to conclude
the talks. In particular, the Council expressed concern
over the lack of progress towards the implementation
of the October 2005 agreement on police restructuring,
and looked forward to "swift removal of this
obstacle".
On Montenegro, the Council welcomed
the peaceful and orderly conduct of the September
10 elections, and the International Election Observation
Mission's preliminary assessment that the elections
were conducted largely in accordance with international
standards. The Council called upon authorities in
Podgorica to address the remaining challenges listed
in the Mission's assessment.
The Council also looked forward to
the smooth formation of a new Government and a swift
agreement in the Parliament on the procedures for
adoption of a new Constitution, in line with European
standards. The adoption of the new Constitution will
require, the Council stressed, a continuous dialogue
between the new government and the opposition. The
Council also expressed its expectation that the new
Government will pursue the European reform agenda
in line with the European Partnership, in particular
in the area of freedom, justice and security and building
up the administrative capacity. The Commission's intention
of an early re-launch for the Stabilisation and Association
Agreement negotiations with Montenegro was welcomed
by EU ministers.
Montenegro
- political dialogue
The Council also approved a joint declaration
on political dialogue with Montenegro in line
with the stabilisation and association process
and the 2003 Thessaloniki agenda for the Western
Balkans. The declaration sets out conditions
under which the Parties agree to a regular political
dialogue. This will in particular support the
political and economic changes underway in Montenegro
and contribute to establish new forms of cooperation,
in particular taking into account Montenegro's
status as a potential candidate for EU membership.
The political dialogue is aimed at:
- reinforcing democratic principles and institutions
as well as rule of law, human rights and respect
for and protection of minorities;
- promoting regional cooperation, development
of good neighbourly relations and fulfilment
of obligations under international law;
- facilitating the integration of Montenegro
to the fullest possible extent into the political
and economic mainstream of Europe.
The political dialogue will take place through
consultations and contacts in high-level meetings
between representatives of Montenegro on the
one hand and representatives of the EU in
troika format on the other, at parliamentary
level, as well as in the framework of the
EU-Western Balkans forum established at the
EU-Western Balkans summit held in Thessaloniki
in 2003.
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On Serbia, the Council repeated the
EU's readiness to resume negotiations with on a Stabilisation
and Association Agreement as soon as there is full
cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia. EU ministers urged the
Serbian authorities to step up their efforts in implementing
their Action Plan in order to meet this criterion.
The Council also adopted a joint
action establishing an EU team to contribute to the
preparation of a future international civilian mission
in Kosovo, and took note of a request by the Greek
delegation for the EU to strengthen its relations
with the Organisation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation,
and to develop a comprehensive policy towards the
Black Sea region, so as to act more effectively at
a regional scale. The Commission indicated that it
would present, before the end of the year, a new communication
on the European Neighbourhood Policy which would address
the Black Sea region.
Still hopes
for a Kosovo settlement this year
"A durable solution to the last
major issue related to the break-up of Yugoslavia"
is what the Kosovo future status process should deliver,
according to the Kosovo Contact Group, which met in
New York on September 20. The group reaffirmed its
commitment to all possible efforts being made to achieve
a negotiated settlement in the course of 2006.
The Contact
Group brings together ministers from the UK,
France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United
States, as well as European Enlargement Commissioner
Olli Rehn and Javier Solana, EU High Representative
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy,
and senior UN and NATO officials.
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The group recognised that "distance
remains between the positions of Belgrade and Pristina".
But it urged all parties to respect the United Nations
process and to work constructively to bridge the gaps
between their positions. "The Contact Group will
monitor closely the extent of constructive engagement
from both parties and will draw conclusions accordingly",
it said in a statement issued after its meeting. "Striving
for a negotiated settlement should not obscure the
fact that neither party can unilaterally block the
status process from advancing", it said. It also
renewed its call on Belgrade to cease obstruction
of Kosovo Serb participation in Kosovo’s institutions.
And during the Security Council debate
on the United Nations Mission in Kosovo on September
13, Kirsti Lintonen, Permanent Representative of Finland
to the United Nations, said: "resolving the status
is necessary in order to maintain stability in the
Western Balkans region". Speaking on behalf of
the European Union, she said: "The status quo
is unsustainable and must be replaced with a solution
that provides lasting peace and stability in the region,
as well as promoting Kosovo's European integration".
Citing the EU's "long-term commitment
to Kosovo", she also expressed support for UNMIK's
efforts - together with the Provisional Institutions
of Self-Government in Kosovo - to make progress on
standards implementation. "The implementation
of the priority requirements are crucial to ensure
a multi-ethnic Kosovo, but it is important not to
lose sight of the fact that all of the standards are
important for Kosovo's future", she said. Progress
is encouraging in democratic institutions, the rule
of law, and sustainable returns and rights of communities
– but success "requires further effort on the
part of all the parties".
It is also necessary, she said, to
prepare for a phased transition - from a reform process
driven by the UN standards, to a reform process based
on the requirements of European integration. "The
gradual transition has already started", she
said. Meanwhile, the EU has already integrated the
essence of the Kosovo standards into the European
Partnership for Kosovo, and welcomes the Kosovo government's
recently adopted "European Partnership Action
Plan", said Lintonen.
The still-incomplete participation
of all ethnic communities in the Provisional Institutions
gave rise to continued concern, said the ambassador.
"We share the Secretary-General's concern of
the governance of the portion of Kosovo territory
which lies north of the Ibar river. We once again
encourage the Kosovo Serb participation in Kosovo's
governance structures. As the Secretary-General points
out, the current lack of engagement of Kosovo Serbs
in Kosovo's institutions remains an obstacle to the
fulfilment of certain standards. All Kosovo’s citizens
should benefit from the same levels of social and
administrative services. The Serb community living
in Kosovo should be clearly and actively encouraged
to participate in the Kosovo institutions, in which
they can most effectively advocate their own interests."
There
are three main components to the plans for the
EU's engagement in Kosovo after a settlement:
the EU contribution to a possible future international
civilian presence; a possible European Security
and Defence Policy operation in the broader
field of rule of law; and an EU presence related
to the European perspective of Kosovo. Preparations
are underway in all these areas, and an EU Planning
Team has already been established and deployed
in Kosovo to make preparations for a possible
ESDP operation in the fields of police and justice,
which are considered crucial areas for the security
and the stability of the region. The EU Council
last week established an EU team to help in
preparations for a possible international civilian
mission in Kosovo, working with the international
community and the Kosovo institutions, and in
close coordination with UNMIK. The decision
complements the April establishment of an EU
planning team for a possible EU crisis management
operation in the field of rule of law in Kosovo. |
New former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Prime Minister in Brussels
The newly elected Prime Minister
of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Nikola
Gruevski, visited Brussels on September 12-13, where
he held talks with European Enlargement Commissioner
Olli Rehn and other senior EU figures.
After their meeting, Commissioner
Rehn welcomed the emphasis in the new government platform
on fighting corruption and organised crime. He also
said they had discussed the importance of economic
development and boosting employment, in which the
EU would be a reliable partner, he promised. "We
support and share the country's goal of moving towards
Europe", said the Commissioner.
Rehn also stressed the need for political
stability and compliance with the Ohrid Framework
– the internationally-sponsored agreement underpinning
Albanian minority rights, which defused violent inter-ethnic
tensions in 2001. Gruevski's centre-right VMRO-DPMNE
opposed the Ohrid implementation legislation adopted
by the previous centre-left government. It was vital
that there were well-functioning channels of communication
between the government and opposition, Rehn underlined.
"It is important to have a broad political consensus
on a country's road to EU membership. The government
and opposition must show the willingness for political
dialogue that one can expect from a mature democratic
country", he said.
Javier Solana, EU High Representative
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, congratulated
Gruevski on his appointment and told him that he looked
forward to working with his Government with a view
to further integration of his country in the EU. Solana
encouraged the new Government to push ahead with the
EU reform process: full and sustained implementation
of the Ohrid Framework Agreement was a fundamental
element in the EU integration process, he stressed,
urging constructive dialogue with all the political
forces of the country in order to carry out the required
reforms.
Gruevski also visited the headquarters
of the European People’s Party in Brussels, where
he met EPP President Wilfried Martens and EPP Secretary
General Antonio Lopez-Isturiz. According to Martens,
"Prime Minister Gruevski has a clear vision for
his country and he’s determined to implement European
political and economic norms and standards. The EPP
is looking forward to the important work of his administration
and his active involvement in the activities of our
political family".
EU welcome
for Montenegro election conduct
The general elections held in Montenegro
on September 10 received a general endorsement from
the European Union. The General Affairs and External
Relations Council of September 18 welcomed the peaceful
and orderly conduct of the September 10 elections,
and the International Election Observation Mission's
preliminary assessment that the elections were conducted
largely in accordance with international norms.
The European Commission noted with
pleasure that preliminary findings by international
observers suggested that the elections were conducted
largely in accordance with international election
standards. "The principal challenges that Montenegro
now face are the continuation of reforms and the consolidation
of the rule of law. It is vital for the new government
to build a widespread consensus for adoption of the
new constitution and all the reforms needed, especially
in the area of freedom, justice and security. Particularly
important in the context of European integration is
the need to improve the country's institutional capacity",
said the Commission statement, adding that the aim
was to re-launch the Stabilisation and Association
Agreement negotiations with Montenegro at the end
of September.
Javier Solana, EU High Representative
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, expressed
satisfaction on September 11 that the elections were
"largely conducted in line with international
commitments and standards". He congratulated
the citizens and the authorities of Montenegro for
the calm and orderly way in which the elections were
conducted, and said he expected the Government to
be formed to continue with its European reform agenda,
including facilitating an agreement on a new Constitution
fulfilling European standards. "The High Representative
and the EU stand ready to support Montenegro's efforts
in getting closer to the EU", said a statement
from Solana's office.
Outgoing prime minister Milo Djukanovic's
centre-left coalition, which earlier this year led
the country of 650,000 inhabitants to independence
from Serbia, won 41 out of the 81 seats in the parliament
(while the two main pro-Serb parties won 23 seats
between them). "This is a triumph for Montenegro's
European policy," said Djukanovic, a long-standing
advocate of his country's independence and of closer
ties with the EU. "These elections have shown
that Montenegro is stable and firmly on the European
track."
Montenegro's President, Filip Vujanovic,
said on September 18 he would propose Djukanovic for
a new four-year mandate – despite remarks from the
44-year-old, who has led the country as prime minister
or president for fifteen years, that he might consider
stepping down after the election.
Hübner
offers a reminder of the reasons for enlargement
"The essential objective of
enlargement of the European Union is to extend the
area of peace, prosperity, and stability on our continent",
said Danuta Hübner, Member of the European Commission
responsible for Regional Policy, in a speech at Edinburgh
university on September 21. "This was clearly
the case in the most recent enlargement of 2004 which
consolidated the reunification of a Europe divided
in 1945. But it was also the case for earlier enlargements,
and it remains the case for those that will follow".
She said "this latest enlargement
is bringing all of the benefits we predicted. The
doomsayers – and there have been many of these - have
been proved clearly wrong." The countries which
joined the Union in 2004 undertook extensive reforms
prior to accession, she said, and are fresh democracies
with fully functioning market economies. "They
have not collapsed under the pressure of exposure
to competition which some predicted. Rather they have
brought to the Union a degree of dynamism that is
badly needed. They have growth rates which are more
than twice the average of the others, and a process
of economic catch-up which is well underway".
On the two accession countries– Romania
and Bulgaria – she said that the record is "just
as impressive" - a dynamism that "is the
direct result of the spectacular economic and democratic
transformation that has taken place in the last 15
years in central Europe, a transformation for which
EU accession has been the main driving force."
Hübner underlined that the economies
of the EU15 are not being destroyed by unfair practices
of the newcomers – or by relocation. She pointed out
that in 2004 the share of total EU15 foreign direct
investment that went to the new member states was
only 4% - compared to 12% to the US, and 53% from
one of the EU15 to another. "The new Member States
are a small part and cannot be blamed for job losses
and industry relocation", she said.
"Enlargement is part of the
solution to our economic problems in Europe, and not
the cause of them. By creating a larger and more integrated
internal market, enlargement has created the conditions
for the whole European economy to become stronger
and more dynamic, and ultimately to be better equipped
to deal with increased global competition", said
the Commissioner.
At the same time, she said, enlargement
has not led to an uncontrolled explosion in costs
of the EU to be borne by European taxpayers, and the
Union's institutions have not been paralysed by the
arrival of ten new Member States. On the contrary,
"Enlargement has added a degree of vigour to
our deliberations", she said.
ENLARGEMENT NEWS
IN BRIEF
SAA negotiations launched with Montenegro
Negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement
were launched with
Montenegro, in Podgorica, on September 26. Until earlier
this year, as part
of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, it was
involved in the joint
negotiations with the EU. Now, as a newly independent
state, Montenegro is
resuming SAA talks in its own right, picking up from
where the joint
negotiations were left off. Concluding a SAA is an indispensable
preliminary
step for the countries of the Western Balkans on their
path towards closer
relations with the EU.
Upcoming enlargement reports
The European Commission's progress reports on Albania,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia (including
Kosovo) and Turkey, will be published on 8 November.
On the same date, the Commission will also publish
its enlargement strategy paper.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
assistance
Recent assistance from the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development for the countries covered by the EU's
enlargement policy includes:
* €3 million for an equity stake in Opportunity Bank
Serbia – a dedicated microfinance bank to be set up
as a result of conversion of the Serbian micro-finance
institution, Opportunity Stedionica. Owners of micro
and small businesses will benefit from an increased
range of financial services and products allowing
them to build new or develop existing businesses.
* a €6 million loan to Mikrokreditna Organizacija
EKI, the third-largest non-bank micro finance institution
in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to enable owners of micro
and small enterprises to gain more access to finance
to expand or build their businesses.
* €5 million for Romania’s BT Leasing Transilvania,
to finance small and medium-sized enterprises across
the country. The loan is being provided under the
leasing window of the EU/EBRD SME Finance Facility,
funded jointly by the EU and the EBRD.
Bulgarian presidential election campaign
starts
The official electoral campaign for the Bulgarian
presidential election started on September 9. The
vote will take place on October 22, and seven pairs
of candidates (for president and vice-president) are
standing. The current President, socialist Georgi
Parvanov, is standing for re-election (accompanied
by Angel Marin as candidate for vice-president). The
centre-right candidate is Nedelcho Beronov, who is
currently the president of the Bulgarian constitutional
court (accompanied by Yuliana Nikolova). The other
candidates are the left-wing former army chief of
staff General Lyuben Petrov (and actress Neli Topalova),
nationalist Professor Grogor Velev (and Yordan Mutafchiev),
currently deputy parliament speaker Petar Beron (and
Stela Bankova), Volen Siderov (and Pavel Shopov) from
the Ataka nationalist party, and former constitutional
judge Georgi Markov (and Maria Ivanova).
Netherlands opens up further to new member
states workers
The Dutch government has decided to further ease its
controls on workers from the eight central and eastern
European countries that joined the EU in 2004. Employers
in sixteen sectors can now take on workers from the
new member states without having to demonstrate that
they are unable to obtain Dutch workers. The new scheme,
which came into effect on September 17, applies to
the wood and metal industries, bakeries, the meat
trade, the retail and wholesale sectors, telecommunications,
hotels and catering, health and social services, some
business services and branches of central and local
government, and designated subsectors in the construction
industry. But the measure is accompanied by tougher
controls on illegal work, particularly in construction
and craft industries.
Meanwhile, the European Citizens Action Service has
published a report describing free movement of workers
since the EU enlargement of 2004, and which looks
forward to the next enlargement. It says that job
seekers from the new member states represent only
0.2% of the total EU15 population, and that migration
patterns often pre-date actual enlargement – as is
the case, it says, for Bulgaria and Romania. The report
also finds that migration has benefited the economy
of the host country and that “applications for income
support or social assistance are very low indeed”.
It recommends that no transitional controls on workers
should be applied to Bulgaria and Romania when they
join. Further information from http://www.ecas.org
Romanians happy despite tough times, says
EU survey
Romanians are very optimistic about the future, and
show high levels of overall life satisfaction and
happiness, despite meagre material conditions, poor
quality of housing and unusually long working hours,
according to the European Foundation’s European Quality
of Life Survey for Romania. Two out of five Romanians
are experiencing difficulties in making ends meet,
the September 19 report reveals. It shows that there
are still large income inequalities in Romania, with
particular pressure on the unemployed and families
with one breadwinner, elderly retired people, single
parents and large families. Three out of four Romanians
cannot afford a week’s annual holiday, and one in
three household have accumulated debts regarding utility
bills such as electricity, water and gas over the
past 12 months. One third of Romanian households also
find their accommodation to be inadequate, citing
problems such as lack of space, leaking in the roof
or no indoor flushing toilet. More information www.eurofound.eu.int
Guarded EU welcome for BiH legislative progress
"It is very encouraging that the Parliament passed
important legislation establishing the Directorate
for Economic Planning", said Michael Humphreys,
Head of the European Commission Delegation to Bosnia
and Herzegovina, following the September 18 vote in
the country's House of Representatives. The measure
has direct relevance to the European Partnership with
Bosnia and Herzegovina. "This institution will
give the Council of Ministers greater ability to set
out the economic agenda and create conditions for
economic development. I look forward to its final
adoption by the House of Peoples", he continued.
But Humphreys expressed disappointment that at the
same session the Parliament did not adopt the Law
on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, even though
there was a cross party consensus on it. "Issues
such as the location of the headquarters should not
be stumbling blocks for legislation which directly
affects the health of BiH citizens", he said.
"In the process of implementing the Stabilisation
and Association Agreement, BiH will have to establish
a number of institutions and agencies as well as adopt
many pieces of legislation. If there are months of
delay for each one, the European path will take decades,
rather than years."
EU assistance projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina
A new European Union information centre was opened
in Banjaluka on September 19, adding another link
to the chain of centres intended to provide citizens
of Bosnia and Herzegovina with easy access to EU-related
information, and to promote EU programmes in the country.
The centre was formally opened by Ambassador Michael
Humphreys, Head of Delegation of the European Commission
to Bosnia and Herzegovina, who also visited the "Vasa
prava BiH" association in the town, which is
receiving €1.2 million from the EU to provide free
legal advice for asylum seekers, refugees, human trafficking
victims and persons under international protection.
He also took part in a formal handover of €600,000
worth of sophisticated forensic and surveillance equipment
to the Republika Srpska police, supplied via an EU
project to boost police capability to fight crime
and produce court evidence.
Meanwhile, a new reception centre for irregular migrants
is being set up in Bosnia and Herzegovina with €1
million of EU money and €250,000 from the national
budget. The Memorandum of Understanding on the project
was signed in Sarajevo on September 13 between the
government, the European Commission and the International
Organisation for Migration, which is also involved
in the project. The centre is a part of the country's
priorities for combating irregular migration and trafficking
in human beings, which also include a migration information
system, a service of foreigners, and amendments to
the current law.
A 24-month twinning project providing support to
the state veterinary Office also held a kick-off workshop
in Sarajevo on September 13. The EU is providing €980,000
to fund the project, in which officials from Bavaria
will help develop legislation and practice. On September
21, the Delegation of the European Commission organised
a conference on "Ensuring the Implementation
of Local Environmental Action Plans in Bosnia and
Herzegovina", part of a European Union project
on support to environmental field inspection.
MEPs on Turkey visit to assess human rights
A five-member delegation from the European Parliament's
Sub-Committee on Human Rights travelled to Turkey
on September 18 for a five-day assessment of the human
rights situation in the country. They visited Ankara
and the eastern province of Hakkari, one year on from
their last fact finding mission, and had meetings
with the Turkish Foreign Minister, the Justice Minister
and the Chief EU Negotiator, as well as with NGOs
and human rights organisations, religious minority
representatives, journalists and writers. In Ankara
they met Sakharov Prize winner Leyla Zana. According
to British centre-right Member of the European Parliament
Simon Coveney, part of the delegation, "Turkey
has made rapid progress in the human rights field
in the build-up to the commencement of formal accession
talks. However, since then progress in this area has
been worryingly slow. As a human rights spokesman
in the European Parliament one of my roles is to assess
annually Turkey's progress or lack of progress in
the human rights field in the context of possible
accession to the EU at some stage in the future."
Further protests over media treatment in
Serbia and Kosovo
The South East Europe Media Organisation wrote on
September 13 to Serbian Minister of the Interior Dragan
Jocic, to express alarm at death threats received
by a journalist in Serbia and – it says – "the
dismissive reaction of the police". The grouping
of editors and journalists claims that Slavica Jovanovic,
a journalist from Macvanski Prnjavor, not only suffered
death threats and attacks on her family members, but
that the local police refused to allow her to file
an official complaint. SEEMO views these threats as
a very serious violation of press freedom and journalists’
rights, and it has asked the minister to do everything
in his power to protect the life of the journalist
and her family members, as well as to investigate
why the local police failed to react immediately.
On September 27 SEEMO wrote again to the Minister
of Justice, Zoran Stojkovic, condemning the suspended
jail sentence given to Serbian journalist Snezana
Nikolic for criminal defamation. "A suspended
sentence encourages self-censorship and is another
method of preventing journalists from practicing their
profession", said SEEMO. And on September 26,
SEEMO wrote to Kole Berisha, President of the Assembly
of Kosovo, complaining of an attack by an Assembly
security guard on a journalist working for the Pristina-based
Lajm daily, who was waiting to meet a member of the
parliament
Turkey@Europe_Week plans
A week of events will be organized in early October
in Brussels, Paris and Berlin to mark the first anniversary
of the start of Turkey’s accession negotiations with
the EU. The initiative is largely driven by TÜSIAD,
the Turkish business association. Leading political,
cultural and business figures from Turkey will visit
the three capitals and discuss the challenges and
perspectives of Turkey’s EU accession. For more information,
see www.turkey-europweek.org
EU support for river clean-up in Bosnia
and Herzegovina
"Let my Kreševnica River Run Clean" is the
title of an EU-funded project that took place in the
town of Kreševo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina on September
14, as part of a wider programme to cut waste. Members
of the public and pupils from local schools collected
waste from the banks of the river, along with employees
of the Public Utility Company. The schoolchildren
also carried out related class projects on reducing
the use of plastic bags and cutting down on the pollution
they create.
By coincidence, a conference in Sarajevo the same
day marked the end of the EU technical assistance
project on establishing Environmental Funds in Bosnia
and Herzegovina. This €400,000 project, implemented
mainly at entity level, has helped develop environmentally
oriented and financially sustainable environmental
management practice in the country – although, despite
good cooperation, Environment Funds have not yet become
operational.
Albanian railways joins CER
Albanian railways, Hekurudha Shqiptare, has joined
the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure
Managers as of 1 October. It is an integrated railway
operator and infrastructure manager, with traffic
units of about 121,000,000 in 2005.
Serbia joins European Travel Commission
Serbia has joined the European Travel Commission,
the association of national tourism organisations
in Europe. It is the 35th member of the organisation
created in 1948 to promote Europe as a tourism destination
to long-haul markets. The president of ETC, Arthur
Oberascher, said at a September 26 a press conference
in Belgrade that the invitation to Serbia was part
of ETC’s strategy to extend its membership to the
entire continent. “Tourism is a dynamic force for
stability and economic growth”, said the ETC president
adding, “in southeast Europe, tourism can help transform
the region’s economy and, equally important, its image
from political tinderbox to vacation playground”.
Solana meets new UN envoy to Kosovo
Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common
Foreign and Security Policy, met Joachim Rücker, UN
Secretary General Special Representative in Kosovo,
on September 26. Solana, at his first meeting with
Rucker since the German took on his new task, expressed
full support to the new SRSG for his efforts in Kosovo
and stressed the commitment of the European Union
to work together with UNMIK and Kosovo's provisional
institutions to move the territory forward. They discussed
political and security developments in Kosovo as well
as progress on standards implementation and the economy.
ECJ to allow PKK challenge on "terrorism"
listing?
On September 27, European Court of Justice Advocate
General Kokott said Kurdish leader Osman Ocalan is
entitled to challenge the 2002 inclusion of the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party – the PKK - on an EU list of terrorist
organisations. This runs counter to a 2005 ruling
by the EU Court of First Instance that the Council
decision could not be contested. The opinion of the
Advocate General is not final. The ECJ will give its
final ruling in coming months.
Qualifications crossing enlargement borders
More than 100 people from the countries in line to
join the EU took part in a September 25 international
conference in Bucharest on the EU's recently-agreed
European Qualifications Framework, which makes different
national qualifications more understandable across
Europe, and supports mobility of workers between countries.
The conference was intended to help future EU member
states and candidate countries link into this framework.
Romania was chosen as the venue because of the progress
that it is making in the development of a framework
for qualifications. The country is also about to present
a policy document on this topic.
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