WRITTEN QUESTION E-3897/02 by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. The costs of enlargement and the national contributions of the existing Member States.
Date: 2003-01-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Member States' contribution, accession to the European Union, economic consequence, trading operation

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/455

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER
(Part 3)

(2004/C 84 E/0530)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3897/02

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(14 January 2003)

Subject: The costs of enlargement and the national contributions of the existing Member States

On 17 December 2002 the International Herald Tribune published a report under the headline ‘EU gets a
“bargain” in expanding east’. In the article Thomas Fuller claimed that the real financial cost of expansion
to the east was approximately EUR 10,3 million (USD 10,5 million), according to documents published by
the Commission on 16 December. Furthermore, he said that Commissioner Schreyer had revealed how
much each new Member State would receive and how much some of the present Member States would
pay, in particular the United Kingdom.

In view of this, can the Commission say:

1. how much each of the new Member States will receive and how much each of the present Member
States will pay in each of the first three years of enlargement, in other words the financial contribution
of each of the Member States in the EU of 25 between 2004 and 2006;

2. how the sums made available for enlargement in accordance with the conclusions of the Copenhagen

European Council will be distributed for each of the new Member States year by year;

3. what it estimates the commercial gain will be for each of the current Member States, taking into

account the forecast increase in exports and imports?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(20 February 2003)

Based on the conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council of 13 December 2002, the Commission
has published on its Directorate General (DG) Enlargement website a table showing the total commitment
appropriations of the agreed Copenhagen financial package for each of the years 2004, 2005 and2006.
This table is available at: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/negotiations/pdf/financial_package.pdf).

The financial framework with the total commitment appropriations for each of the expenditure items
agreed at Copenhagen and additionally, where appropriate, the breakdown by new Member States is also
available on the same website at: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/negotiations/pdf/financial_frame-
work.pdf).

As concerns actual payment flows from the Community budget in favour of the new Member States in the
period 2004-2006, as well as the expected contributions of the new Member States to the Community
budget in the same period, this will depend on the future implementation of the Community budget. It is
therefore impossible to predict exactly the level of
these future transfers. However, based on a
methodology used in the course of
the accession negotiations for estimating future net budgetary
positions, tables showing indicative estimated net balances for each of the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 for
each of the new Member States are sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

C 84 E/456

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

As regards the future contributions of the current Member States to the Community budget in the period
2004-2006, this is impossible to predict exactly, as, similar to the situation referred to in the previous
paragraph, this will depend on a number of factors including the future implementation of the Community
budget as well as rates of economic growth in the Member States. However, detailed information on the
current Member States’ shares in payments to the Community budget can be found in the following report:
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/budget/pdf/agenda2000/report2001_en.pdf).

As regards the commercial gains to be expected from Union enlargement, it is clear that the whole process
of enlargement has already brought major economic gains for both the current and future Member States
as markets have gradually opened and trade increased significantly. The positive economic impact of
enlargement is detailed in a Commission study published in 2001 and to be found on the DG Economic
and Financial Affairs website
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/publications/enlarge-
ment_papers/enlargementpapers04_en.htm).

at:

A number of country specific studies on the costs and benefits of Union enlargement are available on the
Commission’s DG Budget website: (http://europa.eu.int/comm/budget/financing/enlargement_en.htm).

Enlargement is, of course, not simply a matter of weighing budgetary costs against commercial gain.
Enlargement is a historic process, through which all participants stand to gain substantially in terms of
increased security and stability across the continent.

(2004/C 84 E/0531)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0160/03

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Delayed recognition of diplomas owing to technicalities

(29 January 2003)

A civil engineer with a diploma from a UK university applied to the Greek centre for the recognition of
foreign qualifications (Dikatsa) for recognition of his degree. Dikatsa approved the application on condition
that the person concerned passed examinations in three subjects at a Greek polytechnic. After applying to
take the examinations, he was informed that he could do so in 3-4 years’ time! The explanation he was
given for this situation was that only 20 people a year were examined. In the meantime, he has no other
option but to work in a civil engineering firm under colleagues with equivalent qualifications and the same
experience but higher salaries!

Do not such practices (which are obviously approved or tolerated by the Greek Ministry of Education)
seriously undermine Community legislation on the recognition of diplomas in the EU and the principle of
non-discrimination, and for purely administrative reasons? Will the Commission ask the Greek authorities
to put an end to these delays in recognising degrees awarded by other Member States, which are caused
purely by technicalities?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(7 March 2003)

The honourable Member’s question prompts the following comments:

(cid:1) First of all, a distinction must be made between recognition for academic and professional purposes.

(cid:1) With regard to the former type of recognition, the general aim is to allow those to whom it applies to
continue their studies in another Member State or to make use of their academic qualification in that
country. It should be pointed out that in accordance with the EC Treaty each Member State is