WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1691/98 by Kirsi PIHA to the Council. The EU's enlargement eastwards and the role of the European Parliament
Date: 1998-06-02
Institutions: European Parliament, PIHA
Subjects: Council of the European Union, Eastern Bloc countries, European Parliament, enlargement of the Union, exchange of information, report

C 13/64

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.1.1999

(1999/C 13/092)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1689/98

by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission

(29 May 1998)

Subject: Reporting to the European Parliament on the enlargement negotiations

The enlargement negotiations have taken on a more concrete form thanks to the screening process. As the
negotiations progress, the European Parliament has been promised a role and a voice in the dialogue.

How does the Commission propose to keep Parliament informed of the progress made in the screening process?

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

(16 July 1998)

As during the previous enlargement negotiations, the Commission will keep the Parliament orally informed of
progress in the screening exercise. This includes regular presentations by high level officials to the relevant
Parliament committees, joint parliamentary committees and delegations.

(1999/C 13/093)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1691/98

by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Council

(2 June 1998)

Subject: The EU(cid:146)s enlargement eastwards and the role of the European Parliament

A concrete beginning has been made in the process of the EU(cid:146)s eastward enlargement in the form of the screening
process. When the European Parliament was adopting its report on enlargement the Council Presidency
representative promised Parliament a greater role, as enlargement progressed, in the form of a dialogue.

Does the Council intend to forward to Parliament the Commission(cid:146)s information reports on the screening process,
and how frequently?

Reply

(28 /29 September 1998)

The Council is aware of the importance the European Parliament attaches to the issue of enlargement and of its
role in this process. On the occasion of the Parliament(cid:146)s discussions on the reinforced pre-accession strategy and,
in particular, on the framework regulation establishing the Accession Partnerships, the Council indicated its
willingness to keep the Parliament informed on all important developments in the framework of the enlargement
process. Such information will be provided by the Presidency of the Council on all available occasions, such as in
plenary sessions of the Parliament and before the competent Parliamentary Committees and the Joint
Parliamentary Committees.

The analytical examination of the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146) (screening) is part of the technical preparation for the accession
negotiations with Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia. It is also an essential
element in the preparation for accession negotiations with Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria.
The screening exercise being carried out by the Commission has two main objectives: firstly, to explain what
exactly is the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146) of the Union, with a view to ensuring that the applicant States are fully aware of the
obligations which they will be called upon to accept as future Member States; secondly, to identify possible
problems concerning the transposition of the (cid:145)acquis(cid:146).

The Commission, which began with the screening of the first chapters of the Union (cid:145)acquis(cid:146) on 27 April 1998, is
proceeding sector by sector, concentrating, in the initial phase, on those which, in its view, pose the fewest
potential problems. Despite the very tight timetable of the Commission, the screening exercise is not expected to
end before the middle of 1999. The Commission regularly informs the relevant Council bodies on the progress of
screening.