A4-0151/99

Resolution on the regular report from the Commission on Slovenia's progress towards accession (COM(98)0709 - C4-0112/99)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to Slovenia's application to join the Union, submitted on 10 June 1996, in accordance with Article O of the Treaty on European Union,

- having regard to the Commission opinion on the application, delivered on 15 July 1997 (COM(97)2010 - C4-0382/97),

- having regard to the regular report from the Commission of 17 December 1998 (COM(98)0709 - C4-0112/99),

- having regard to the Commission composite paper of 17 December 1998 (COM(98)0712 - C4-0107/99),

- having regard to its resolution of 4 December 1997 on the Communication from the Commission 'Agenda 2000 - for a stronger and wider Union' (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. 112.)) and its resolution of 11 March 1998 on the Commission 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 conclusions of the Luxembourg (12 and 13 December 1997), Cardiff (15 and 16 June 1998), and Vienna (12 and 13 December 1998) European Councils,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy (A4-0151/99),

A. whereas in its above-mentioned resolution of 4 December 1997 it called on the European Council to set the enlargement procedure in motion in all cases where applicant countries met the criteria of a stable democratic system and respect for human rights,

B. whereas it has already endorsed Slovenia's application for accession because Slovenia has the democratic machinery required to guarantee the rule of law, respect for fundamental freedoms, and protection of human rights and the rights of minorities,

C. having regard to Slovenia's satisfactory performance from the point of view of compliance with the 'economic' accession criteria laid down at Copenhagen, relating for example to a stable market economy capable of withstanding the pressures of competition; whereas, in the long term, the necessary adjustments to the law and further improvements in the macro-economic indicators should enable Slovenia to join the euro zone,

D. welcoming the encouraging progress on the whole in the negotiations under the first 7 of the 31 headings covered in the negotiating package,

E. whereas the path of Slovenia's accession to the Union might be smoothed by an appropriate information campaign to enable the Slovene public to understand what accession really means and to play their part accordingly, thus helping to overcome certain misgivings on the subject,

F. whereas the PHARE programme should be exploited to the full in order to modernise the Slovene civil service and enable Slovenia to integrate into the Union,

1. Regrets that little progress has been made in integrating the acquis communautaire, a fact that has prompted the Commission to express criticism which has, in the main, been accepted by the Slovene authorities;

2. Notes that Slovenia has made progress in its moves towards accession, especially as regards foreign and security policy convergence and the ongoing improvement in the main macro-economic indicators;

3. Calls on the Commission and the Slovene Government to counter the social costs associated with the process of economic and financial restructuring with enhanced social and economic accompanying measures, in order to permit balanced economic growth from a social point of view; supports the German Presidency proposal to extend the scope of the Phare programme to the social field;

4. Welcomes the recent law introducing VAT and the law on excise duties, which, once it has entered into force, will close a serious gap in Slovene legislation and do much to bring Slovenia into line with the Union and notes that the Slovene Government has demonstrated its strength of purpose by putting forward the 'National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis Communautaire';

5. Notes, however, that Slovenia has not complied with its commitment to abolish tax-free shops on its borders;

6. Welcomes the fact that a law has been adopted to give effect to the 'Solana compromise' concerning the right of given categories of persons to purchase property and hopes that it will enter into force as soon as possible;

7. Acknowledges the unceasing commitment being shown by virtually all Slovene political forces and the Government in strengthening ties with the Union with a view to accession;

8. Welcomes the fact that the Europe Agreement has entered into force, since it will provide a much sounder basis on which to consolidate relations between the Union and Slovenia and the platform required to continue the negotiations;

9. Welcomes the fact that, albeit after some delay, the EU-Slovenia Joint Parliamentary Committee has commenced its activities, since they are a key element of the Europe Agreement and essential in order to foster bilateral relations and better mutual understanding of the different subjects under discussion;

10. Deplores the scant progress made in adopting the acquis communautaire in particularly delicate areas such as justice and home affairs and the internal market;

11. Notes that the present public procurement law is not fully compatible with the acquis communautaire;

12. Believes that, over and above the necessary legislative adjustments, proper, thoroughgoing reform of administrative and judicial machinery is needed in order to ensure that the provisions required to approximate laws are not just transposed, but above all put into effect and enforced;

13. Stresses the need, as with all the applicant countries, to strengthen anti-corruption measures;

14. Maintains that the Slovene executive and legislative authorities will be able to put right the lull and embark on the necessary reforms along the lines set out by the Commission both in the Accession Partnership and in the annual progress report on the negotiations;

15. Hopes that the next annual report will be able to confirm that the necessary progress has been made to speed up the negotiations, which are now focusing on the most sensitive issues, and that Slovenia will consequently remain one of the countries best qualified for accession;

16. Reiterates its belief that each applicant country should be judged on its own merits and on its progress in the accession negotiations;

17. Calls on the Council and the Commission, in cooperation with the Slovene Government, once screening has been completed, the negotiating platforms fully worked out, and the second regular report published in autumn 1999, to draw up a specific timetable for the accession negotiations and their possible completion;

18. Considers that it would be useful to foster cooperation with neighbouring countries with a view to speeding up the accession negotiations and accordingly believes that Slovenia should attend Euro-Mediterranean Partnership proceedings as an observer;

19. Notes the decision of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe to draw up a report on the state of local democracy in Slovenia, especially in the light of the exceptional situation in Capodistria/Koper brought about by the Constitutional Court rulings which have blocked local government elections there;

20. Advocates that representatives of the parliaments of the applicant countries be permitted, over and above the existing exchange of information and ideas in the joint parliamentary committees, to attend meetings of European Parliament committees as observers when matters relevant to accession are being dealt with;

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

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