European Parliament resolution on the Czech Republic's membership application to the European Union and the state of negotiations (COM(1999) 503 - C5-0026/2000 — 1997/2180(COS))
Date: 2000-10-04
Institutions: Committee on Foreign Affairs, European Parliament
Subjects: Czechia, EU relations, accession criteria, accession negotiations, accession to the European Union, economic situation, political situation

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Wednesday 4 October 2000

8. Welcomes the adoption of a law to align Poland’s system of state aids to the standards laid down by
the Europe Agreement and stresses the importance of making legislation on Special Economic Zones con-
sistent with the Polish legislation implementing the acquis communautaire so as to create a stable climate
and encourage private investment;

9.
Encourages Poland to speed up privatisation and restructuring of the major State undertakings, above
all in the steel, energy, chemical, armaments, sugar and distilleries sectors, and recommends that considera-
tion be given to the possible effects of restructuring on the Polish and European labour markets;

10. Welcomes the recently accomplished regional reform, pointing out that some financial autonomy of
the regions is essential for full adoption of the acquis, above all in the education, local infrastructures and
health sectors; calls on the Polish authorities to continue their work on improving the institutional condi-
tions for effective implementation of regional development programmes in view of Poland’s participation
in the EU’s structural policy, ensuring the participation of local and regional actors as well as the concen-
tration of means on the poorest regions;

Approves the progress made by Poland in preparing legislative measures in the environmental field;
11.
notes that in order effectively to apply that legislation, the regional and local authorities will have to be
strengthened and that it will also be necessary to develop clear operating programmes; encourages Poland
to maintain a high level of investment in the environmental field and to draw up clear spending strategies;

12. Welcomes the progress made by Poland in strengthening control measures at its borders which will
become the external frontiers of the European Union, but notes the need to continue and step up the
efforts made to ensure an efficient customs service;

Calls on the Commission to look for appropriate measures to encourage development and
13.
strengthen synergies between Poland, Lithuania and the Russian region of Kaliningrad; considers that eco-
nomic, cultural and social cooperation with the Russian region of Kaliningrad must remain a primary aim
even after accession, and calls on Poland, Lithuania and the other countries concerned to find positive
solutions enabling Kaliningrad to benefit from the advantages of full regional integration;

14.
Notes the urgent need to inform the public in the Member States and in the candidate countries of
the advantages of accession and calls on the Commission and Poland to provide sufficient funds for infor-
mation campaigns aimed at improving the awareness of the general public of the issues involved in enlar-
gement; reminds Poland and the Commission that a lack of dialogue with organisations representing the
Polish public is a factor in increasing public resistance to the integration process and to the accompanying
reform;

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

15.
the Member States and the Polish Government and Parliament.

6. Czech Republic

A5-0245/2000

European Parliament resolution on the Czech Republic’s membership application to the European
Union and the state of negotiations (COM(1999) 503 * C5-0026/2000 * 1997/2180(COS))

The European Parliament,

5 having regard to the Czech Republic’s application for membership of the European Union, submitted

on 17 January 1996, pursuant to Article 49 of the TEU,

5 having regard to the opinion of the Commission on this application (COM(1997) 2009 5 C4-0381/

1997),

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5 having regard to the 1999 Regular Report on the Czech Republic’s progress towards accession
the Commission

(COM(1999) 503 5 C5-0026/2000) and to the 1999 Composite Paper of
(COM(1999) 500 5 C5-0341/2000),

5 having regard to the decisions taken by the European Council, notably in Copenhagen (21/22 June

1993), Luxembourg (12/13 December 1997) and Helsinki (10/11 December 1999),

5 having regard to the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States

of the one part and the Czech Republic of the other part,

5 having regard to the revised accession partnership between the European Union and the Czech Repub-

lic and the second Czech National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis,

5 having regard to its resolution of 15 April 1999 (1) on the first Regular Report from the Commission

on the Czech Republic’s progress towards accession,

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

5 having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security

and Defence Policy (A5-0245/2000),

A. whereas the Helsinki European Council complied with the European Parliament’s strategic recommen-
dations that negotiations be opened with all Central and Eastern European candidate countries,

B. whereas the resolutions adopted at Helsinki underscore the principle of full differentiation in the nego-

tiation process,

C. whereas the government and parliament of the Czech Republic must make further efforts to fully

transpose and implement the acquis communautaire,

D. whereas accession is a major social process rather than an administrative process, which involves not
only the transposition and application of the acquis but the introduction of a new social model,

1.
Is pleased that the Czech government has reacted to the Commission’s repeated criticism of the lack
of progress with legislation in the Czech Republic, and that, as a result, the process of alignment with the
acquis communautaire has now speeded up;

2.
Calls on the Czech government, however, to devote greater attention to the environment in particu-
lar and to take further action to protect water quality and combat industrial pollution; calls in particular
for speedier transposition and implementation of those EU environmental directives which improve nature
protection and citizens’ rights and which can be implemented at low cost (e.g. Environmental Impact
Assessment, Environmental Information, Animal Welfare legislation, Habitat and Birds Directives);

Points out in this context that the fulfilment of commitments made during the accession negotiations
3.
is the key factor as regards assessment of the Czech Republic’s readiness for accession and that the Czech
government’s attempt to postpone liberalisation of the country’s telecommunications market until the end
of 2002 is therefore likely to be problematic;

4.
Reminds the Czech Republic that the administrative capacities for transposing and monitoring agri-
cultural, environmental and regional and structural development legislation must be consistently devel-
oped, in particular to ensure successful implementation of the Sapard and ISPA programmes;

(1) OJ C 219, 30.7.1999, p. 443.

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5.
Draws the Czech Republic’s attention to the fact that rapid development of instruments for ensuring
effective regional policy may serve to tackle the socio-economic problems associated with accession, espe-
cially in rural and peripheral areas; calls upon the Czech authorities to further social and economic cohe-
sion by closely involving social partners, local and regional authorities as well as NGOs in policy-making
processes;

6.
Notes that the Czech economy is again experiencing a positive macroeconomic trend, which is
reflected in a resumption of economic growth, and welcomes the current restructuring and privatisation
of the banking sector, which should be completed by the end of the year;

7.
Acknowledges that, in the Czech Republic, too, the Roma issue is socially complex; supports the
Czech Republic in its efforts to further improve the living conditions of the Roma minority but calls on
the Czech government to adopt further specific measures to foster the economic and social integration of
the Roma and to guarantee them basic social standards, in particular in healthcare and education;

Calls on the Czech authorities to establish the appropriate structures and institutions for a successful
8.
implementation of integration policies, to closely involve local authorities in such policies, and to optimise
Roma participation in policy-making processes; calls on the Commission and the Council to continue to
give full backing to such efforts under the Phare Programme;

9.
Calls on the Czech government to implement an immediate programme to establish the indepen-
dence and effectiveness of the judiciary and to ensure the transparency of the regulatory framework, parti-
cularly relating to the political independence of the broadcast media;

Calls for urgent measures to be taken to step up the fight against corruption, and stresses that the

10.
implementation of measures adopted by the Czech government must be rigorously monitored;

11.
Draws urgent attention to the problems of sex tourism, child prostitution and trafficking in women
in the border area between Germany and the Czech Republic and calls on the Commission and the Czech
government to take effective action to combat such problems;

12. Welcomes the Czech government’s willingness to scrutinise the laws and decrees of the Beneš Gov-
ernment dating from 1945 and 1946 and still on the statute books to ascertain whether they run counter
to the EU law in force and the Copenhagen criteria;

13.
Calls on the Czech Republic and the Commission to take account of the social impact of gradual
liberalisation of the sale, purchase and encumbrance of real estate and, on the model of existing rules
within the EU, to guarantee such property claims as the ban on selling and buying nature conservation
areas and freedom of access to, and the limitation on privatisation of, recreation and tourist areas, and to
make it possible for transitional provisions to be adopted which take account of inequalities of wealth
regarding the acquisition of houses and land by non-residents;

Stresses the need to ensure a high standard of safety at nuclear facilities and also to carry out the

14.
relevant environmental impact assessment;

15. Welcomes the fact that, under the Portuguese Presidency, all negotiating chapters have been
opened;

16.
Calls on the Commission and the Council to ensure that the principle of differentiation between
candidate countries is fully implemented so that all countries in the Helsinki group have a realistic chance
of catching up with the countries in the Luxembourg group if they have made sufficient progress;

Supports the Commission in its efforts to maintain the momentum of the pre-accession strategy

17.
with all candidate countries;

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18. Welcomes the fact that the Commission and the Czech Republic are in the process of jointly devel-
oping and implementing an information strategy designed to explain the real short-term problems and the
long-term benefits of EU enlargement to the general public;

Points out that it is essential to step up a structured dialogue with organised civil society, particu-
19.
larly as many groups know very little about the real consequences of accession and the debate in society is
frequently determined by speculation and conjecture, and therefore calls on the Commission and the Czech
authorities to provide appropriate resources for information campaigns to improve public understanding
of the accession issue;

20. Welcomes the new overview expected from the French Presidency which is designed to set out all
the enlargement-related problems on both sides as it may give a new impetus to the negotiations;

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

21.
the Member States and the Government and Parliament of the Czech Republic.

7. Slovakia

A5-0244/2000

European Parliament resolution on Slovakia’s membership application to the European Union and
the state of negotiations (COM(1999) 511 * C5-0034/2000 * 1997/2173(COS))

The European Parliament,

5 having regard to Slovakia’s application for membership of the European Union submitted on 27 June

1995, pursuant to Article 49 of the TEU,

5 having regard to the opinion of the Commission on this application (COM(1997) 2004 5 C4-0376/

1997),

5 having regard to the 1999 Regular Report on Slovakia’s progress towards accession (COM(1999) 511
5 C5-0034/2000) and to the 1999 Composite Paper of the Commission (COM(1999) 500 5
C5-0341/2000),

5 having regard to the decisions taken by the European Council, notably in Copenhagen (21/22 June

1993), Luxembourg (12/13 December 1997) and Helsinki (10/11 December 1999),

5 having regard to the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and its Member States of

the one part and Slovakia of the other part,

5 having regard to the revised EU-Slovak Accession Partnership and to the second Slovak National Pro-

gramme for the Adoption of the Acquis,

5 having regard to its resolution of 3 December 1998 on Slovakia’s application for membership of the

European Union, with a view to the Vienna European Council (11/12 December 1998) (1),

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

5 having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security

and Defence Policy (A5-0244/2000),

A. whereas the conclusions of the Council of Helsinki followed the strategic recommendation of the
European Parliament to open negotiations with all Central Eastern European candidate countries,

B. whereas these conclusions underline the principle of full differentiation in the negotiation process,

(1) OJ C 398, 21.12.1998, p. 52.