European Parliament resolution on Hungary's application for membership of the European Union and the state of negotiations (COM(1999) 505– C5-0028/2000 — 1997/2175(COS))
Date: 2000-10-04
Institutions: Committee on Foreign Affairs, European Parliament
Subjects: EU relations, Hungary, accession criteria, accession negotiations, accession to the European Union, economic situation, political situation

C 178/146

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

22.6.2001

Wednesday 4 October 2000

8. Hungary

A5-0248/2000

European Parliament resolution on Hungary’s application for membership of the European Union
and the state of negotiations (COM(1999) 505− C5-0028/2000 * 1997/2175(COS))

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to Hungary’s application for membership of the European Union submitted on 31 March

1994, pursuant to Article 49 of the TEU,

(cid:1) having regard to the opinion of the Commission on this application (COM(1997) 2001 (cid:1) C4-0373/

1997),

(cid:1) having regard to the 1999 Regular Report on Hungary’s progress towards accession (COM(1999) 505
(cid:1) C5-0028/2000) and to the 1999 Composite Paper of the Commission (COM(1999) 500 (cid:1)
C5-0341/2000),

(cid:1) having regard to the decisions taken at the European Council, notably in Copenhagen (21/22 June

1993), Luxembourg (12/13 December 1997), and Helsinki (11/12 December 1999),

(cid:1) having regard to the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States,

of the one part, and Hungary of the other part,

(cid:1) having regard to the Accession Partnership for Hungary,

(cid:1) having regard to its resolution of 15 April 19991 (1) on the first Regular Report from the Commission

on Hungary’s progress towards accession,

(cid:1) having regard to Rule 47(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security

and Defence Policy (A5-0248/2000),

A. noting that in Hungary the overall situation as regards democracy and the rule of law continues to be
satisfactory and that human rights and respect for fundamental rights are upheld within the country,

B. noting that Hungarian foreign policy, with particular regard to the situation of Hungarian minorities
outside Hungarian borders and to developments in the Balkans, is already making a significant con-
tribution to the political stability in the region,

C. whereas, as regards the question of ethnic minorities, insufficient attention continues to be paid to the
situation of the Roma, who suffer severe discrimination in education, on the employment market,
within public services and in civil society; whereas education for Roma children is segregated, the
level of education is very low and unemployment among the Roma is alarmingly high; whereas dis-
crimination against the Roma may, for the most part, be regarded as an attitude problem, which the
Hungarian Government must tackle seriously; whereas it should be possible to find a solution given
that a Minorities Office has been set up and medium-term legislation has been passed which will help
them to become integrated into Hungarian society,

D. whereas Hungary has consolidated its economic growth, and whereas this growth makes the country
the economic leader in its region; whereas, in the opinion of the Hungarian authorities, structural
adjustments could enable Hungary to achieve a GDP growth rate of approximately 7 % per year in
the medium term,

E.

noting that reforms to public finances and improvements to the balance of payments have enabled the
country’s external debt to be reduced, and that an increase in consumption is apparent, as is a con-
tinuing increase in wages following an earlier period of restraint,

(1) OJ C 219, 30.07.1999, p. 439.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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Wednesday 4 October 2000

F.

drawing attention to the fact that, if Hungarian agriculture is to achieve EU productivity levels and if
the people it employs are to achieve income levels which are more or less comparable with those of
EU farmers, the agricultural market will have to be completely opened up to the capital which is
needed for privatisation and the establishment of healthy, viable agricultural businesses will have to
be encouraged,

G. having been informed that the Hungarian Parliament has adopted a set of legislative texts including
measures to eradicate money-laundering and racketeering, outlaw criminal operations and increase
penalties for drugs trafficking and prostitution,

H. noting with satisfaction that a joint declaration on cross-border environmental protection has been
signed by Hungary, Slovakia, the Ukraine and Romania, and pointing out that implementation and
EU monitoring of this agreement could help to prevent ecological disasters such as the one which
recently affected the Danube and the Tiszla rivers following a discharge of cyanide,

I.

aware that Hungary is making steady and satisfactory progress in bringing its domestic law into line
with EU law,

J. whereas the meetings which have so far been held by the EU-Hungary joint parliamentary committee
have made a significant contribution to mutual understanding and will continue to exert a favourable
influence on preparations for accession,

K. noting with satisfaction that Hungary has drawn up a national programme for the adoption of the
Community acquis with very strict deadlines, and hoping that the Council, too, will fulfil the commit-
ment it gave at the EU Summit in Helsinki to create, by 2002, the conditions for the accession of new
Member States,

Notes democratic support within the Hungarian Parliament for Hungary’s accession to the European

1.
Union and advocates greater efforts to secure a consensus amongst the Hungarian people on that issue;

2.
Stresses, however, the need for firm, foreseeable dates for the conclusion of the negotiations and for
accession to be established as soon as possible in order to help prevent disappointment or even discontent
within certain sectors of Hungarian society;

Expects both Hungary and the European Union to make every effort to create the conditions for

3.
accession at the earliest possible opportunity;

4.

Confirms that Hungary has fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria;

Hopes that the medium-term measures intended to prevent discrimination against the Roma commu-
5.
nity (particularly in the fields of education, employment, healthcare and housing) will provide a useful
means of integrating that community into Hungarian society on a basis of mutual understanding; calls
on the Hungarian authorities to establish the appropriate structures and institutions for the successful
implementation of integration policies, to involve closely local authorities and to enhance Roma participa-
tion in policy-making processes;

6.
Urges the Hungarian Government and Opposition to solve without delay the problem of the balance
between the various political and party forces within the governing body of the state television company
and, over and above that, expects enhanced consultation between Government and Opposition on matters
relating to Hungary’s accession to the European Union;

7.
Emphasises that the existence of a representative and autonomous social dialogue constitutes an
indispensable element of the accession preparations and urges the Hungarian Government to involve clo-
sely the social partners and NGOs in economic and social policy-making processes;

8.
Calls on the Hungarian Government to step up its fight against organised crime, drugs trafficking and
corruption in the wake of the progress made following the entry into force of the legislation known as the
‘anti-mafia package’;

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22.6.2001

Wednesday 4 October 2000

9.
Recalls that Hungary serves as a transit and destination country for trafficking in women, a phenom-
enon which is increasing in scale, and calls on the Hungarian Government to take effective measures to
combat trafficking and to ensure that victims of trafficking are guaranteed effective protection, support and
rehabilitation;

Notes the positive economic growth indicators, which are accompanied by a downward trend in

10.
inflation, although the latter is still substantially higher than in the euro area;

11.
Draws attention to the need to enhance policies (such as the Széchenyi Plan) designed to stimulate
micro, small and medium-sized businesses, which account for nearly half of the country’s GDP and provide
employment for two-thirds of the total work force, with particular reference to taxation and competitive-
ness;

12.
Notes that, in the agricultural sector, non-nationals are still unable to purchase cultivable land and
points out that the prudent adoption of a market policy could help to ensure that optimum use is made of
such land;

13.
Emphasises the need for the modernisation of Hungarian agriculture, for which EU aid is, however,
indispensable and in respect of which an increase in market outlets for Hungarian agricultural products on
the European Union’s internal market is essential;

14. Welcomes the efforts made by the Hungarian Government to consolidate and pursue structural
reforms relating to the budget, the civil service, pension schemes and privatisation which will enable the
country, in the medium term, to withstand EU competitive pressures and market forces;

Considers, however, that the restructuring of the health sector must be speeded up in view of the
15.
significant burden which it places on the public purse; notes in this connection the adoption of the new
arrangements relating to hospitals and the opportunity for general practitioners to work privately;

16. Welcomes the 13 % increase in the 2000 budget for the environmental sector;

17.
Urges the government to renew its efforts to bring the relevant legislation into line and to adopt
measures to monitor air and water quality, to prevent and combat industrial pollution and to manage the
various types of waste;

18. Welcomes the recently adopted framework law on waste management and calls on Hungary to
continue its legal harmonisation work in this field as quickly as possible; takes the view that the hazardous
industrial waste bill approved by the Hungarian Parliament on 23 May 2000 should be applied as a matter
of urgency;

Notes that, owing to its central geographical location, Hungary is one of the most important part-
19.
ners for combating problems involving cross-border pollution, as recently occurred in the Danube and
Tiszla rivers; welcomes, therefore, the joint declaration on environmental protection concluded between
Hungary and its neighbours, Slovakia, the Ukraine and Romania, with the aim of preventing and combat-
ing cross-border environmental pollution, subject to strict EU monitoring of its application;

20. Welcomes the decision of the Hungarian and Slovak Governments to re-open the Maria Valeria
Bridge as a sign of European integration and to promote freedom of movement;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the parliaments of

21.
the Member States and the Hungarian Government and Parliament.