Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the enlargement package 2006 — Candidate countries
Date: 2007-06-06
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: North Macedonia, Türkiye, accession to the European Union, enlargement of the Union, pre-accession strategy

C 197/12

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

24.8.2007

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the enlargement package 2006 — Candidate countries

(2007/C 197/03)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

— recalls that the Enlargement has been a success story for the European Union and Europe as a whole
and stresses the importance of a regional and local perspective on the enlargement process for
ensuring internal stability, democracy at grassroots level being a vital part thereof;

— stresses the importance of continued fulfilment of the Copenhagen political criteria with particular
regard to the need for strengthening freedom of expression, freedom of religion, women's rights,
minority rights and trade union rights and the need for further upgrading of the human rights institu-
tional framework;

— stresses that political follow-up of the enlargement process at national, regional and local levels is a
major challenge given the relevance of the issue to the European Union's future. This is why it decided
to create a Working Party on Croatia and on Turkey, which involves fostering dialogue with all stake-
holders in order to define its political positions;

— welcomes progress made on the political and economic criteria in Croatia, and on the acquis as well as
on the implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, and welcomes the continued
fulfilment of the Copenhagen political criteria by Croatian authorities;

— welcomes the substantial reforms enacted by Turkey but remains concerned about the pace of reforms
having slowed down and recalls that the setting-up of a JCC with Turkey remains its political objec-
tive;

— welcomes the continued progress of the reforms and that the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
is well on track to satisfy the Copenhagen political criteria, but takes note of the slower pace of
reforms in 2006.

24.8.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 197/13

I. Policy recommendations

Communication from the Commission to the European Parlia-
ment and the Council — Enlargement Strategy and Main Chal-
lenges 2006-2007,
including annexed special report on the
European Union (EU)'s capacity to integrate new members

COM(2006) 649 final

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

General recommendations

stresses

follow-up of

that political

10.
the enlargement
process at national, regional and local levels is a major challenge
given the relevance of the issue to the European Union's future.
This is why it decided to create a Working Party on Croatia,
which involves fostering dialogue with all stakeholders in order
to define its political positions;

outlines that through this working party,

it intends to
11.
foster permanent dialogue with political
in
Croatia. In addition, it will encourage and support the organisa-
tion of
information and communication campaigns on the
enlargement process in the cities and regions of the European
Union and Croatia;

representatives

recalls that the successive rounds of enlargement have
1.
from the outset been of central importance to the project of
European integration;

stresses that one way of developing prosperity and stabi-
12.
lity in Croatia and the Western Balkan region is through active
cross-border cooperation between local and regional authorities;

recognises the important role of the enlargement process
2.
for the democratic and stable development of the countries in
the process of accession, for the stability of the European region
and the security of the European Union;

welcomes

13.
that a strategy for public administration
reform is being drawn up and draws attention to the need to
address capacity issues in local and regional administrations;

3.
recalls that the Enlargement has been a success story for
the European Union and Europe as a whole. It has helped to
overcome the division of Europe and contributed to peace and
stability throughout the continent;

4.
stresses the importance of a regional and local perspective
on the enlargement process and recognises the important role
of regional and local policies for ensuring internal stability,
democracy at grassroots level being a vital part thereof;

5.
stresses that each country pursuing membership of the
European Union must be evaluated on its own merits according
to its achievements in aligning itself with the rigorous criteria of
membership;

6.
stresses that good European governance, based on the
principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, can be achieved
through decentralisation without imposing a uniform template;

points out that a balanced transfer of powers and financial
7.
resources to decentralised authorities is essential to the exercise
of effective local and regional democracy;

calls for cooperation efforts and exchanges of experiences
8.
and best practices gained under the pre-accession policy imple-
mented with the local and regional authorities of
the EU
member states and candidate countries.

14.
considers it important that the government has begun
implementing strategies for reforming the judiciary and fighting
corruption, and welcomes that Croatia has moved forward on
the need for
minorities and refugee return, but
continued reform efforts in all of these areas and recommends
that progress be accelerated especially on the latter two issues;

stresses

stresses the importance of good democratic and decen-
15.
tralised governance in addressing citizens' needs and points to
the
in
conducting reform policies;

local and regional authorities

significant

role of

16.
welcomes the continuation of Croatia's full cooperation
with the ICTY and stresses the need for further progress in the
conduct of war crimes trials, including witness protection;

17.
recommends that progress be made in addressing issues
of public procurement to ensure transparent procedures are
available to all levels of the administration;

welcomes the recent evolutions in regional policy and
18.
instruments but draws attention to
coordination of structural
the need for greater administrative capacity for the implementa-
tion of EU funding.

Croatia

Turkey

welcomes progress made on the political and economic
9.
criteria, and on the acquis as well as on the implementation of
the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, and welcomes the
continued fulfilment of the Copenhagen political criteria;

19.
welcomes the substantial reforms enacted by Turkey but
remains concerned about the pace of reforms having slowed
down;

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EN

Official Journal of the European Union

24.8.2007

stresses

follow-up of

that political

20.
the enlargement
process at national, regional and local levels is a major challenge
given the relevance of the issue to the European Union's future.
This is why it decided to create a Working Party on relations
with Turkey, which involves fostering dialogue with all stake-
holders in order to define its political positions;

recalls that the setting-up of a JCC with Turkey remains

21.
its political objective;

outlines that through this working party,

it intends to
22.
foster permanent dialogue with political
in
Turkey. Furthermore, the working party encourage and support
the organisation of information and communication campaigns
on the enlargement process in the cities and regions of the
European Union and Turkey;

representatives

23.
stresses the importance of continued fulfilment of the
Copenhagen political criteria with particular regard to the need
for strengthening freedom of expression, freedom of religion,
women's rights, minority rights and trade union rights and the
need for further upgrading of the human rights institutional
framework;

24.
draws attention to the importance of democracy at grass-
roots level and the important role that local and regional autho-
rities must play in the implementation of these policies;

satisfy the Copenhagen political criteria, but takes note of the
slower pace of reforms in 2006;

30.
welcomes that the elections in July 2006 were conducted
generally in accordance with international standards, but stresses
that significant efforts are needed to address remaining irregula-
rities and to fully meet those standards at the next elections;

31.
recommends that efforts are made to strengthen the fight
against corruption in order to ensure transparency and demo-
cratic accountability at all levels and that reforms of the police
and the judiciary be implemented;

stresses the importance of full

32.
Ohrid Agreement;

implementation of the

33.
stresses the importance of democracy at grassroots level
and points to the important role that local and regional authori-
ties can play especially in ensuring the correct implementation
of the laws governing protection of minorities and fostering
good inter-ethnic relations;

welcomes the implementation of the 2000 Law on Civil
34.
Servants and the recent decentralisation efforts, and encourages
municipal authorities to be pro-active in ensuring their rights
and competences are respected;

emphasises the importance of local administrations and

25.
the key role of city councils;

stresses the need to secure the independence and profes-

35.
sionalism of the administration;

welcomes

26.
ombudsman for public administration disputes;

recent progress

the

in establishing

an

that

stresses

improvement

framework
27.
governing public procurement is essential to ensure transparent
and accountable local governance providing vital services to citi-
zens;

in the

legal

welcomes the passing of the law establishing regional
transparency and

28.
development agencies and suggests
accountability in agency management be improved.

that

calls upon the government to make the considerable
36.
efforts needed to align legislation on regional development with
the Community acquis and to strengthen administrative capacity
in that area to ensure efficient
implementation of regional
policy;

37.
welcomes the launch of visa facilitation and readmission
negotiations with all the countries of the region with a view to
concluding the negotiations as soon as possible. The conclusion
of such agreements will promote people-to-people contacts
between the EU and the Western Balkan countries and will
increase the opportunities for
the
younger generation;

travelling, especially for

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

29.
welcomes the continued progress of the reforms and that
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is well on track to

38.
calls on the European Commission to take the necessary
steps for providing a legal basis enabling the setting up of a
Joint Consultative Committee between the CoR and the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Brussels, 6 June 2007.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Michel DELEBARRE

24.8.2007

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 197/15

II. Procedure

Title

Reference

Legal basis

Procedural basis

Date of Commission referral

Date of Bureau decision

Commission responsible

Rapporteur

Explanatory memorandum

Discussed in commission

Date adopted by commission

Communication from the Commission to the European
Parliament and the Council — Enlargement Strategy and
Main Challenges 2006-2007,
including annexed special
report on the European Union (EU)'s capacity to integrate
new members

COM(2006) 649 final

EC Treaty Article 265(1)

8.11.2006

25.4.2006

Commission for External Relations and Decentralised Coo-
peration (RELEX)

Mr Antti Liikkanen (FI/PES) Member of Rovaniemi Muni-
cipal Council

7.12.2006

25.1.2007

29.3.2007

Result of the vote in commission

Adopted unanimously. Simplified procedure Rule 26

Date adopted in plenary

6 June 2007

Previous Committee opinions

(1) OJ C 206, 29.8.2006, p. 23.
(2) OJ C 81, 4.4.2006, p. 42.
(3) OJ C 31, 7.2.2006, p. 11.

CdR 50/2006 fin (1), Opinion on the Communication from
the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament,
the European Economic and Social Committee and the
Committee of the Regions: Civil Society Dialogue between
the EU and Candidate Countries COM(2005) 290 final.
Rapporteur Mr
Isidoro Gottardo (IT/EPP), adopted in
CoR Plenary 27.4.2006

CdR 499/2004 fin (2), Opinion on the Proposal
for a
Council Decision on the principles, priorities and condi-
tions contained in the European Partnership with Croatia
COM(2004) 275 final. Rapporteur Mr Isidoro Gottardo
(IT/EPP), adopted in CoR Plenary 13.10.2005

CdR 495/2004 fin (3), Opinion on the Recommendation of
the European Commission on Turkey's progress towards
accession COM(2004) 656 final. Rapporteur Ms Helene Lund
(DK/PES), adopted in CoR Plenary 6.7.2005