WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1688/98 by Kirsi PIHA to the Commission. Substance of enlargement negotiations
Date: 1998-05-29
Institutions: European Parliament, PIHA
Subjects: EU policy, European security, accession to the European Union, economy, enlargement of the Union, foreign policy, legislation

C 31/70

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

5.2.1999

(1999/C 31/092)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1687/98

by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Substance of enlargement negotiations

On 27 April the first stage of negotiations between the EU and the candidate countries began, in the form of a
screening process covering the various aspects of the candidate countries(cid:146) legislation, political life and economy.

What is the relationship between the Commission(cid:146)s DG1 and the task force set up for the purpose of screening,
what dialogue is there between them and how is their work divided up?

(1999/C 31/093)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1688/98

by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Substance of enlargement negotiations

On 27 April the first stage of negotiations between the EU and the candidate countries began, in the form of a
screening process covering the various aspects of the candidate countries(cid:146) legislation, political life and economy.

It would have been most logical to begin the Commission(cid:146)s screening process of the first group of candidates
together with the screening of the same sectors in the other six candidate countries.

Why was it decided to begin the screening in respect of different sectors in different countries?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-1687/98 and E-1688/98
given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(15 July 1998)

The European Council of December 1997 in Luxembourg decided to begin negotiations with six candidates. At
the same time it decided that the preparation of negotiations with the five other candidates (cid:145)will be speeded up in
particular through an analytical examination of the Union acquis(cid:146).

The process with the six candidates also begins with an analytical examination of the acquis, but as the first stage
of actual negotiations. The two processes therefore have a different objective and timetable and must therefore be
conducted separately.

For this reason the screening with the (cid:145)Six(cid:146) was attributed to the Task Force (cid:145)Accession Negotiations(cid:146) and the
screening with the (cid:145)Five(cid:146) to the directorate general responsible for External relations: Europe and the New
independent States (NIS), common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and external service. Both services
maintain close contact to ensure a coherent approach and an appropriate link between the screening, the progress
reports and the Phare assistance programmes. The outcome of the screening exercise will also help the
Commission in developing further the pre-accession strategy to speed up the preparation of the candidate
countries.

The different order of examination of the acquis in the two groups results from the fact that the same experts
cannot be present in the two separate processes at the same time.

(1999/C 31/094)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1706/98

by StØphane Buffetaut (I-EDN) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Joint-trade organizations and restriction of competition

In Case C-249/91 concerning decisions taken by the CIVDN (ComitØ Interprofessional des Vins Doux Naturels ›
Joint-Trade Committee for Natural Sweet Wines), the Commission brought an action before the European Court
of Justice against the French Republic for failure to comply with the basic rules set out in the Treaty on European
Union.