Mr President, President-in-Office of the Council, President of the Commission, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, this is an important debate since it concerns the greatest challenge facing the European Union, namely the accession of ten countries in a first round of enlargement. I therefore find it especially regrettable that the substance of today's debate was revealed in the European press some days ago, and I would ask you, Mr Prodi, to ensure that in future, Parliament is informed first, and then the European public. I think this is the right way round if a debate like this is to be meaningful. (Applause) Notwithstanding this criticism, however, which is meant very seriously, I would like to say a word of thanks to the Commission: to its President, Romano Prodi, to the Commissioner responsible, Günter Verheugen, but also to the previous Commission under Jacques Santer, together with Commissioner Hans van den Broek, for after all, the present Commission did not start from scratch; it built on the work begun by the Santer Commission. I would like to voice my warm thanks to all concerned for their great work. (Applause) We are in broad agreement with the conclusions and also with the listing of the ten countries recommended for accession by the Commission, but there is a massive amount of work ahead of us. The accession countries – as has been stated, and for which we express our great respect – after 50 years of communism, communist mismanagement, communist tyranny and dictatorship, have made massive efforts, and this deserves the greatest credit and our greatest respect. However, there is still a massive amount of work to be done, not only by the accession candidates but also by the European Union itself. I think that what is important now is to ensure that we do not shatter the confidence vested in us by the accession countries. Anyone who now sets new accession conditions for the Central European countries, Malta and Cyprus – for example, by demanding reform of the European agricultural policy first of all – anyone who demands this is sinning against the accession countries, because it undermines their confidence in the European Union and its pledges. This is why we must now honour the confidence vested in us by the accession countries and not impose any new conditions. Poland is without doubt the most important accession country, for its population – almost 39 million – is larger than in the other nine candidate countries. We must also remember today that this great transformation in Europe would not have been possible without Poland, without Solidarity – and let me also say this, lest we forget – without the great intellectual power of the Pole who occupies the papal throne, John Paul II, who told the Polish people: 'Don't be afraid!' This was the basis of Europe's intellectual and political transformation. (Applause from the right) We must never forget this! It was also the basis on which Germany could be united twelve years ago. Without Poland, this would not have been possible. We therefore hope that at the negotiations, Poland will be able – also in the coming weeks and months – to master the difficult problems still arising in the accession process, and we support the Commission with its proposals on direct payments. There are several unresolved questions to which we would welcome answers from the Czech Government. What is the Czech Government's position on the question whether, for example, legislation still exists in the Czech Republic which does not treat all persons in the European Union equally? Is there discrimination here? It would be helpful if the Czech Government provided an answer to this question. We hope that Bulgaria and Romania, which are not part of this enlargement round, will continue to make progress so that we can close negotiations with these two countries within a foreseeable timeframe as well. We endorse the Commission's position in declining to give Turkey a date for the start of negotiations. On behalf of our group, I would like to point out that we have divergent views on the issue of Turkish membership of the European Union. It is important to state this clearly, and it is the same in other groups. However, we are united in our view that Turkey is a key strategic partner for us, and that we must always maintain our links with that country in a close and well-functioning partnership. There is the problem with Kaliningrad, and I recommend, as a matter of urgency, that in overcoming this difficult problem, we prioritise the issue of security, and also Lithuania's sovereignty, which we must not call into question. On this basis, flexible arrangements with Russia must be found. I also warn against the creation of a new Iron Curtain, for example between Poland and Ukraine; in the region around Lviv in Poland and in other areas, there are close regional and family ties with Ukraine and we must arrive at flexible arrangements which guarantee security but also enable people to meet. The President of the Commission referred to the Mediterranean region. I have just visited Morocco, and there is great concern there that as a result of enlargement, we Europeans will forget about the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean region is our neighbour just as much as the accession countries in the heart of Europe, and I recommend that we take our cooperation with the Mediterranean as seriously as we take our relations with Eastern Europe. (Applause) If twenty years ago, someone had asked: 'We are offering you the chance for Poland and other countries to join the European Union – what are you prepared to pay for this?' We would have been willing to pay any financial price at all, and so I say to you: Let us all be happy that today, the accession of Poland and the other countries to the European Union, to our community of values, to democracy, the rule of law and a social market economy is possible, and let us welcome our colleagues warmly when, as we hope, they are elected to this House at the next European elections in 2004. This is a great day for Europe, for we have a shared and, it is to be hoped, a good future ahead for our European continent. (Applause)

Political group: PPE-DE