A4-0429/98

Resolution on Bulgaria's application for membership of the European Union, with a view to the European Council to be held in Vienna on 11 and 12 December 1998

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Bulgaria's application for membership to the European Union, tabled on15 December 1995,

- having regard to the Commission opinion of 15 July 1997 on that application (COM(97)2008 - C4-0380/97),

- 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 at the European Council in Luxembourg on 12 and 13 December 1997 and in Cardiff on 15 and 16 June 1998,

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

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy (A4-0429/98),

A. having regard to Bulgaria's considerable efforts to establish the rule of law, stable democratic order and respect for human rights and protection of minorities,

B. drawing the attention to the fact that, as in most CEECs, work has to be done to further integrate the ethnic minorities,

C. welcoming Bulgaria's efforts to stabilise the economic and financial situation, to speed up the privatisation process and to further develop the conditions for a functioning market economy,

D. highlighting Bulgaria's efforts to maintain viable social conditions in the difficult transition period and the need to enhance the combating of poverty and social exclusion, in particular with regard to children at risk,

E. taking into consideration the reforms at legislative level to comply with European legislation, and the need of sustaining them,

F. noticing, however, the need for further improvement of Bulgaria¨s legislation in view of raising it to the level of European standards and values,

G. noting with satisfaction the launching of a comprehensive administrative reform for which the legislative texts are already introduced in Parliament; regretting, however, the delay in implementing this reform,

H. underlining the need for further improvement of the ecological situation and for the development and implemention of an energy efficiency policy,

I. highlighting the importance for mobilising the civil society, media, local authorities for active participation in the process of Bulgaria¨s preparation for accession; noting that the mobilisation process is seriously hampered by visa obligations impeding better networking with EU countries,

1. Stresses the need for the dynamic of the accession process to cover 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. Confirms its support for the Bulgarian application, deeming the country suitable, as regards its overall political and economical development; notes that the Commission's November 1998 progress report on Bulgarian accession is on the whole positive about the substantial efforts which have been made by that country whilst not being complacent about the amount of work still to be done in some key areas;

4. Confirms the eligibility of Bulgaria as a candidate country to move on to the accession and negotiation process; is pleased to note the progress Bulgaria has made in the economic field, and hopes that Bulgaria will be able to keep the momentum of the reform process up and increase its capacity to implement and enforce the acquis communautaire;

5. Welcomes the fact that Bulgaria is showing effective and good implementation of its pre-accession strategy;

6. Stresses the importance of completing the reforms, including those concerning social protection for Bulgarian citizens and the establishment of a representative and autonomous social dialogue;

7. Recalls the importance of having a transparent, professional, efficient and independent public administration in order to ensure a true and fair democratic society, and therefore hopes that the Government will quickly implement the administrative reform as soon as the Parliament votes the law;

8. Considers that the media reform should be completed in line with the understanding of the media's role in the process of democratisation, activating public opinion, furthering pluralism, developing an open society, and directing public opinion towards participation in the decision making and change;

9. Recognizes Bulgaria's efforts made in the energy field but is disappointed by the attitude of the Sofia government concerning nuclear energy and more in particular its recent request to the Commission to rediscuss the NSA agreement on the Kozloduy nuclear power plant aimed at postponing the closure of the first four units; urges, therefore, the Bulgarian government to abide by its commitments for the closure of non-upgradable nuclear power plants; believes that this will protect the environment and the health of Bulgarian and European citizens alike and promote a long-term strategy, independent of nuclear power, for the country's energy sector, which would allow Bulgaria to meet its energy requirements and efficiency levels and to increase the living standards of its citizens;

10. Welcomes the efforts made by Bulgaria in the economic fields, but stresses the importance of speeding up the privatisation process, structural adjustment and reforms in the agricultural sector;

11. Underlines the importance of further improving labour and living conditions with special protection for children and disadvantaged groups in society;

12. Highlights the fact that Bulgaria has suffered significant economic damage from the war in ex-Yugoslavia, while nevertheless playing a stabilising role in South Eastern Europe, and stresses the need to strengthen all forms of regional and interregional cooperation to repair this damage;

13. Urges both parties to make full use of existing instruments, in particular the Europe Agreement and the pre-accession partnership, and to intensify their cooperation and common efforts with a view to Bulgaria's accession to the European Union;

14. Calls for the European Conference to be the forum in which the European Union, Bulgaria and the other candidate countries discuss common pre-accession problems and find solutions to outstanding questions in the field of justice and home affairs, such as the removal of the visa requirements for Bulgarian nationals travelling to European Union countries as a sign of the equal treatment of the candidate countries;

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