WRITTEN QUESTION E-3808/02

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Council

(7 January 2003)

Subject: Enlargement of the EU to include the Balkan and Caucasus countries

The Heads of State of Macedonia, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Albania and Bosnia sent a joint letter to the EU authorities calling on the European Union to give a clear, concrete response, at the Copenhagen Summit, to their efforts to join the European Union. The Presidents of these five countries wrote: We wish to make known our expectation that the final document of the Copenhagen Summit will contain a reference to the proposals regarding accession of our countries in the form of a message of strong encouragement to continue along our path towards membership of the EU (). While being fully aware of the hard work that lies ahead of us in order to arrive at this goal, we are convinced that our common objective will work in favour of the achievement of our noble aim the unification of Europe. () The prospect of our accession to the European Union is of major importance to deepening the ongoing process of democratic reform and to strengthening stability in the region.

At the same time more than 300 parliamentarians from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia (FYROM) and Yugoslavia (Serbia-Montenegro) had already signed an appeal to the Convention, the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament in which they request the status of candidate countries for membership of the European Union. The 311 parliamentarians, who welcome the historic event represented by the enlargement to include 10 central European countries, say that they continue, although working hard and amidst a thousand difficulties to establish freedom, democracy and the rule of law, to be kept on the margin of Europe and to be excluded from the real process of European unification. They conclude by saying: We know that the membership of each of our countries will depend on its ability to meet fully the political criteria known as the Copenhagen criteria and the economic criteria set out in the Treaties and the acquis communautaire. We are not asking for any preferential treatment, any privileges, any favours only to be allowed to work towards achieving this fundamental objective.

What concrete political steps does the Council intend to take in order to give a practical response to the wish of these countries to rejoin the European family and finally to realise their legitimate aspiration to become members of the European Union? Is the Council aware that without the clear prospect of membership of the EU, the efforts being made by these countries to strengthen democracy and the rule of law and promote strong economic development may prove vain, opening the way to instability or to even more serious scenarios? Does the Council intend to decide to include Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Croatia, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia (FYROM), Moldavia and Yugoslavia (Serbia-Montenegro) on the list of candidate countries for membership of the European Union at the next meeting of the Heads of State and Government, in Greece?

Reply

(13 May 2003)

As the Honourable Member is certainly aware, potential membership of the EU is based on Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, which stipulates that any European State which respects the principles set out in Article 6(1) of that Treaty may apply to become a member of the Union. It shall address its application to the Council, which shall act unanimously after consulting the Commission and after receiving the assent of the European Parliament. The said Article 6(1) underlines the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. Consequently, the Council will examine any application for membership in accordance with Article 49 TEU.

As for the Western Balkan countries referred to by the Honourable Member (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as well as Serbia and Montenegro), their European perspective (potential candidates for EU membership) was already confirmed at the Zagreb Summit between the EU and those countries in November 2000, based on the conclusions of the European Council in Feira on 19 and 20 June 2000, and reiterated since.

The Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP), including its strategic objectives, its economic and political conditions and its instruments, are at the heart of the EU's policy towards the Western Balkans. The Zagreb Summit on 24 November 2000 set the seal on the SAP by gaining the region's agreement to its objectives and conditions. The Council underlines that the SAP is a long-term policy approach in support of sustainable and EU-compatible reform, as it helps the countries of the region prepare for integration with the EU. The speed with which each country moves through the different stages of the SAP, taking ownership of the process, depends on its increasing ability to take on the obligations flowing from an ever closer association with the EU as well as compliance with the conditionality policy defined by the Council on 29 April 1997.

As to the practical response of the Council to the wish of these countries to rejoin the European family, as enquired by the Honourable Member, the instruments of the SAP are threefold. Firstly, EC assistance under the CARDS Regulation, focusing increasingly on support for reforms and institution building as required by the Stabilisation and Association Agreements. Secondly, preparation and implementation of Stabilisation and Association Agreements (SAA), which represent the cornerstone of the process. The conclusion of these Agreements represents the signatories' commitment to complete, over a transitional period, a formal association with the EU. Such association is based on the gradual implementation of a free-trade area and on reforms designed notably to achieve the adoption of either the acquis communautaire in a limited number of areas or of EU standards, thus allowing the countries of the region to begin the process of integration into EU structures. Differences between individual agreements are likely to be reflected principally in the transition period towards full association with the EU and in the precise phasing and articulation of obligations. But the destination for all countries is expected to be the same: the full realisation

achievement of association after a transitional period through implementation of the same core obligations. Such agreements have already been concluded with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and with Croatia. On 21 October 2002 the Council authorised the Commission to open negotiations on a SAA with Albania. Thirdly, the granting, since December 2000, of a highly preferential trade regime to all the countries covered by the SAP. The opening of EU markets to nearly all products from the SAP countries, subject to compliance with relevant SAP conditions, is intended to promote foreign investment, develop export capacities and contribute to the overall political and economic stability of the region.

The Council is reviewing annually the progress achieved by each country within the SAP, most recently on 13 May 2002.

The European Council in Copenhagen on 12/13 December 2002 recalled the membership criteria defined at the Copenhagen European Council in June 1993 and reaffirmed the European perspective of the countries of the Western Balkans in the stabilisation and association process as stipulated by the European Council in Feira; it also underlined its determination to support their efforts to move closer to the EU. The European Council therefore welcomed the decision by the incoming Greek Presidency to organise a Summit on 21 June in Thessaloniki between EU Member States and countries of the stabilisation and association process.

The European Union is playing a prominent role in the reconstruction of Kosovo. The European Union is, by far, the largest single donor providing assistance to Kosovo and the South-East European region as a whole and is at the forefront of the reconstruction effort.

Concerning the countries of the Southern Caucasus referred to by the Honourable Member (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) and Moldova, the EU and its Member States are linked to these countries through Partnership and Cooperation Agreements. The EU is committed to contributing to the rule of law, economic reform, peace, security and stability in these countries. The Partnership and Cooperation Agreements need to be implemented fully and effectively, as continued development of democracy and human rights is crucial as a factor in promoting stability in the Southern Caucasus region. Concerning Moldova, consolidation of democracy and internal political stability, solution to the Transniestrian conflict, determined progress in economic reforms and good relations with neighbouring countries would improve Moldova's chances of benefiting from close relations with the future enlarged EU. The Copenhagen European Council underlined that the EU wishes to enhance its relations inter alia with Moldova, based on a long-term approach promoting democratic and economic reforms, sustainable development and trade, and is developing new initiatives for this purpose. It should be added that none of the countries in question has applied for membership. Furthermore, the Council is not in a position to speculate about the decision to be taken by the European Council at one of its future meetings.

In conclusion, the Honourable Member's attention is again drawn to the conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council, stressing that the ongoing enlargement will bring a new dynamism to European integration. The European Council underlined that this presents an important opportunity to take forward relations with neighbouring countries based on shared political and economic values and stressed that the Union remains determined to avoid new dividing lines in Europe and to promote stability and prosperity within and beyond the new borders of the Union.