A4-0427/98

Resolution on Slovakia's application for membership of the European Union, with a view to the Vienna European Council (11 and 12 December 1998)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Slovakia's application for membership of the European Union submitted on 27 June 1995,

- having regard to the Commission's opinion on that application COM(97)2004 - C4-0376/97,

- having regard to its resolution of 4 December 1997 on the Commission communication 'Agenda 2000 - For a stronger and wider Europe' (COM(97)2000 - C4-0371/97) ((OJ C 388, 22.12.1997, p. 17.)), its opinion of 11 March 1998 on the proposal for a Council Regulation on assistance to the applicant countries in central and eastern Europe in the framework of the pre-accession strategy (COM(97)0634 - C4-0010/98 - 97/0351(CNS)) ((OJ C 104, 6.4.1998, p. 110.)) and its resolution of 11 March 1998 on the proposals for Council decisions on the principles, priorities, intermediate objectives and conditions contained in the accession partnerships (COM(98)0053 - C4-0130/98) ((OJ C 104, 6.4.1998, p. 113.)),

- having regard to the decisions taken by the European Council by Luxembourg (12 and 13 December 1997) and Cardiff (15 and 16 June 1998),

- having regard to its resolution of 8 October 1998 on the Slovak Republic ((Minutes of that sitting, Part II, Item 14.)), following the general elections held in Slovakia on 25 and 26 September 1998,

- having regard to the reports submitted by the Commission on 4 November 1998,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy (A4-0427/98),

A. noting that Slovakia could not be included in the first round of negotiations because of the inadequacies of its political system hitherto when measured against the Copenhagen political criteria, although its economic situation would have allowed negotiations with it to begin at the same time as with the '5 + 1' group,

B. whereas the elections of 25 and 26 September 1998 were conducted in a free and proper manner, thus meeting the hopes the European Union had placed in the democratic aspirations of the Slovak people,

C. having regard to the intention expressed by the new government of committing Slovakia to fulfilling the political and economic Copenhagen criteria,

D. whereas the essential decisions on the formation of a new government and the establishment of a democratic distribution of tasks in the new parliament have already been taken and the broad lines of the government's programme adopted,

E. whereas Slovakia has to continue to adapt its economy to meet the requirements of the acquis communautaire; whereas the Slovak authorities need in particular to take resolute action against certain negative macro-economic trends and restore confidence for foreign investment, a crucial factor in the modernisation of the Slovak economy,

F. whereas a corresponding acknowledgement by the Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament of the special circumstances and changed situation in Slovakia would give a lasting impetus to the efforts being made in that country,

1. Stresses the need for the dynamic of the accession process to include all countries with which the European Union has a Europe Agreement; reiterates its firm conviction that there should be no closed groups of accession candidates; stresses that the opportunity for a smooth transition to the phase of intensive negotiations should remain open at all times;

2. Believes that the gradual integration of the candidate countries into the European Union will substantially contribute to security in Europe;

3. Hopes that Slovakia will as soon as possible be able to join the group of countries with which the Council has decided to open accession negotiations, and considers at the same time that the political development of Slovakia is proceeding in the right direction and should continue along the same lines;

4. Calls therefore on the European Council to adopt a flexible approach by reconsidering Slovakia's application and to ask the Commission to reassess the situation in Slovakia, so that the decision to start negotiations can be taken before the end of the German Presidency;

5. Looks to the new Slovak authorities to manifest the will to undertake the political reforms required to make Slovakia a State subject to the rule of law and respecting democratic principles, human rights and the rights of minorities;

6. Urges Slovakia, furthermore, to undertake the measures necessary to the implementation of a functioning market economy and to introduce transparency into this process, especially as regards privatisations;

7. Calls on Slovakia to make the necessary efforts to accelerate the adoption of the acquis communautaire, which presupposes that it will in parallel reform and strengthen its administrative and judicial structures;

8. Encourages Slovakia in general terms to speed up the process of preparing for accession with a view to reducing the length of future negotiations;

9. Calls on Slovakia with the support of the European Union to take the measures required to restore its macro-economic balance, to attract foreign capital and investment and to continue to adopt the acquis communautaire;

10. Welcomes the willingness of the new government to evaluate Slovakia's present energy policy; calls on the government of Slovakia to envisage closing its technologically outdated nuclear power stations;

11. Urges the Commission to reassess the situation in Slovakia so that Parliament and the European Council may give their decision to start negotiations with Slovakia during the first half of 1999;

12. Calls on the two sides in the meantime to make full use of existing instruments and in particular the Europe Agreement and the Accession Partnership to develop their cooperation with a view to Slovakia's accession to the European Union;

13. Calls by the same token for the European Conference to be the forum in which the European Union and Slovakia may discuss common pre-accession problems with the other applicant countries, and seek to align their respective foreign and security policies and to harmonise their laws, regulations and administrative provisions in matters falling under the third pillar;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the European Council, the parliaments of the Member States and the Slovak Government and Parliament.

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