WRITTEN QUESTION E-1280/98

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(29 April 1998)

Subject: Effects of Agenda 2000 on the existing Community of Fifteen

Thank you very much for the answer to E-0395/98(1) of 19 March 1998. However, since the questions I asked have not been adequately answered, I have no option but to ask the same questions again:

Have studies been made of the impact of enlargement to the East on the employment situation in the Community of the Fifteen and in Austria, particularly its frontier regions, and if so, where can the findings of any such research be consulted?

Have studies been made of the impact of enlargement on salaries and wage rates in the Community of the Fifteen and in Austria, particularly its frontier regions, and if so, where can the findings of any such research be consulted?

Have studies been made of the impact of enlargement on population movements in the Community of the Fifteen and in Austria, particularly its frontier regions, and if so, where can the findings of any such research be consulted?

Have studies been made to ascertain how many citizens of the acceding States will seek work in the Community of the Fifteen and in Austria, particularly its frontier regions, and how many of them wish to settle there and if so, where can the findings of any such research be consulted?

Have studies been made to ascertain the impact of enlargement to the East on the various branches of the economy in the Community of the Fifteen and in Austria, particularly its frontier regions, and if so, where can the findings of any such research be consulted?

Have studies been made to ascertain the effects of enlargement to the East on the internal security of the Community and Austria, particularly its frontier regions, and if so, where can the findings of any such research be consulted?

If no research has been conducted into these various topics, why has none been commissioned?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(9 June 1998)

The Commission referred in its answer to Honourable Member's written question E-395/98, to the effect of enlargement on the overall economic development in the Community, which is fully documented as "impact study" in the Agenda 2000(2) documentation which was made available to the Parliament immediately after its adoption by the Commission.

As regards the effects of enlargement on regions close to the current Eastern border of the Community - that is the border area stretching from Stettin down to Trieste, as well as North Eastern Greece once Bulgaria joins - the Commission has not undertaken an analysis in the detail stated in the question. It would be very difficult to make serious forecasts on the wage levels in the new Member States (also because there is no certainty on the date of accession), or on migratory moves in the border areas (forecasts on the employment situation in this uncertain time horizon are difficult to establish and accession treaties might provide for lengthy transition periods restricting the freedom of movement for workers). Equally the requested forecasts of criminal activities cannot be established with reasonable accuracy.

(1) OJ C 304, 2.10.1998, p. 91.

(2) COM(97) 2000 final.