Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the 2007 enlargement strategy and main challenges 2007-2008 — Candidate countries
Date: 2008-04-09
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: Croatia, North Macedonia, Türkiye, accession to the European Union, enlargement of the Union, pre-accession strategy

5.7.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 172/45

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘2007 enlargement strategy and main challenges
2007-2008 — Candidate countries’

(2008/C 172/09)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

— emphasises that the European Union must maintain its ‘open door’ policy as regards enlargement, in
order to stimulate democratic reform and economic development outside the current borders of the
European Union;

— stresses that the fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria and the requirements of the Stabilisation and
Association Process conditions is a basic obligation for Member States, with the emphasis on the prin-
ciple of own merit, which was also an essential factor in previous enlargements;

— stresses that it is vital not to interrupt Turkey's European journey; the EU must honour the commit-
ments it made when it decided to open negotiations. However, it agrees with the Commission that the
accession negotiations are an open-ended process, the outcome of which cannot be guaranteed before-
hand;

— welcomes the good progress that Croatia has made towards meeting the Copenhagen political criteria,
economic criteria and the acquis communautaire, and in implementing the Stabilisation and Association
Agreement;

— considers that the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has made considerable progress towards
fulfilling the Copenhagen political criteria and economic criteria and highlights the progress made at
the end of 2007; calls therefore on the Council to decide on opening negotiations with the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Rapporteur: Mr Alin Adrian NICA (RO/ALDE), Mayor of Dudeștii Noi, Romania

Reference text

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament: Enlargement Strategy
and main challenges 2007-2008 — candidate countries

COM(2007) 663 final

Policy recommendations

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

General recommendations

1.
reiterates its belief that the enlargement of the European
Union is one of the most powerful means of exerting political
influence, and is an important step towards peace and stability
on the Continent and that it gives the citizens of candidate
countries a further opportunity to achieve not only the well-
being provided by the common economic area but also the EU
common values, mainly freedom, democracy and solidarity;

emphasises that the European Union must maintain its
2.
‘open door’ policy as regards enlargement, in order to stimulate
democratic reform and economic development outside the
current borders of the European Union;

stresses that the fulfilment of the Copenhagen criteria and
3.
the requirements of the Stabilisation and Association Process
conditions is a basic obligation for Member States, with the
emphasis on the principle of own merit, which was also an
essential factor in previous enlargements;

4.
highlights the fact that successful integration depends first
and foremost on the way the candidate country prepares for
accession, and on the soundness and careful implementation of
reforms;

points out that monitoring the progress and adaptability

5.
of legislation is a guarantee for successful integration;

6.
draws attention to the fact that local and regional authori-
ties must play an active role in integration, as it is a structural
democratic process that cannot only be implemented at central
level and without the active participation of all tiers of govern-
ment or full compliance with the principles of subsidiarity and
proximity;

7.
considers that it is important to consult associations of
local and regional administrations when the central administra-
tion proposes legislative measures which fall within the purview
of local and regional authorities;

8.
highlights the fact that the sustainable development of a
country relies largely on compliance with and application of the
fundamental principle of decentralisation, with all
it
implies: i.e. decentralisation in decision-making, administrative
and financial terms;

that

9.
points out that the war of the mid-1990s left deep scars
in the collective consciousness of the Balkan peoples, and it is
therefore essential for all the local, regional and national players

in the region to cooperate in order to resolve the problems that
have been a source of conflict in the past;

emphasises the importance of supporting, through pre-
10.
accession policies and programmes,
initiatives and efforts for
cooperation (including 2008: the European Year of Intercultural
Dialogue) and the exchange of experiences and best practices
(including experience of the application of the principles of the
European Charter of Local Self-Government) between local and
regional authorities from the Member States and candidate
countries; in this sense, it has a major role to play in promoting
training seminars aiming at exchanging good practices and
lessons learned by the EU regional and local authorities. In par-
ticular, this should take specific account of the experiences of
the new EU Member States that joined in 2004 and 2007, espe-
cially since some of them are located on the border with the
three new EU candidate countries;

Turkey

it

stresses that

is in everybody's interests to support
11.
Turkey throughout a lengthy, complex reform process. It is a
basic principle of the accession process that the pace of the
negotiations depends on the progress of these reforms which
will also be furthered by external EU support based on funding
programmes. Therefore, both Turkey and the European Union
should show patience and perseverance in this process;

stresses that it is vital not to interrupt Turkey's European
12.
journey; the EU must honour the commitments it made when it
decided to open negotiations. However,
it agrees with the
Commission that the accession negotiations are an open-ended
process, the outcome of which cannot be guaranteed before-
hand. Compliance with the conditions imposed by the EU must
be the only criteria on which accession is decided. Moreover, it
is very important that Turkey should make a commitment to
good-neighbourly relations, in accordance with the requirements
laid out
in the negotiating framework. However, Turkey is
expected to put an end to all economic exclusions or border
closures, and to refrain from threats or military operations
regarding its neighbours;

welcomes the fact

13.
that parliamentary elections were
properly organised, and hopes that the new government will
speed up the reforms needed to meet the accession criteria by
making real progress in sensitive areas. At the same time,
is
concerned about the repeated interference by the Turkish armed
forces in the political process and believes that more effort
should be made to ensure full and effective political control of
the army;

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14.
welcomes the recent measures to amend the constitution,
and considers that the proposed amendments will, if adopted,
encourage progress towards meeting the Copenhagen criteria,
and reiterates the need to amend Article 301 of the Turkish
penal code, which makes it a punishable offence to denigrate
Turkishness and Turkey,
to secure comprehensive
in order
freedom of expression;

15.
emphasises that local and regional authorities — which
implement much of European legislation — must play a central,
decisive role in the internal democratisation and European inte-
gration processes, and recommends that the European Commis-
sion highlights the role of local and regional authorities in the
negotiation process with the Turkish government;

highlights the discrimination to which ethnic minorities

23.
in Turkey — particularly Kurds — are subject;

24.
highlights the problems encountered by non-Muslim
faiths in Turkey, due to lack of legal recognition. These faiths
encounter problems when it comes to charitable activities, the
leaders and the
right to freedom of religion, the election of
training of the clergy. It also points out the repeated assaults
and attacks on representatives and followers of non-Islamic
faiths. The state must guarantee that there will be no more of
these incidents and, to this end, use its resources to curb extre-
mist factions, combating their subversive activities;

16.
recommends re-examining Turkish village law with a
view to increasing the efficiency and strength of public adminis-
trations at the lowest level;

Croatia

proposes that more models for the regional development
17.
of
local and regional authorities in Turkey be looked into,
following the example of the EU Member States, as such models
could make it possible to draw up and implement regional poli-
cies and strategies, define priorities for local and regional devel-
opment, and even apply programmes supported by the Euro-
pean pre-accession or structural funds;

18.
stresses the need to set up a joint consultative committee
comprising representatives of the Committee of the Regions
and of Turkish local and regional authorities; consequently,
urges the Turkish government to request that a joint consultative
committee be set up and asks the European Commission to take
account of the importance of setting up this committee in the
context of negotiations with Turkey;

19.
stresses that Turkey must continue to take real steps
towards the financial decentralisation of local public authorities
to make it possible to strengthen the financial
in order
local and regional authorities, and reduce their
autonomy of
dependence on the central exchequer;

points out

20.
that, as well as extending administrative
powers for local or regional authorities, financial resources must
be provided in order for them to exercise their new powers;

notes that a process of public sector reform is underway
21.
in Turkey in order to increase efficiency and improve the admin-
istrative capabilities of public institutions, with a view to effec-
tively managing government and European funds;

22.
points out that discrimination still exists in Turkey as
regards women's access to public administration and justice
services, even though the legal framework has been partially
harmonised with European legislation in the field; also draws
attention to gender discrimination as regards access to educa-
tion, as many girls are not educated beyond primary school, for
reasons of religious traditionalism;

25.
welcomes the good progress that Croatia has made
towards meeting the Copenhagen political criteria, economic
criteria and the acquis communautaire, and in implementing the
Stabilisation and Association Agreement; Croatia's example
shows its neighbours in particular what advantages can be
gained from being firmly anchored, politically and economically,
to the structures and values of the European Union; welcomes
the fact that a real breakthrough was achieved during the acces-
sion negotiations in 2007 and calls on the newly-formed Croa-
tian government to redouble its efforts to fulfil the conditions
still
for opening negotiations on the
outstanding;

chapters

that

are

welcomes and encourages the measures taken by Croatia
26.
to decentralise local public administration and considers that,
via these measures, more emphasis should be placed on subsi-
diarity so that decisions can be taken even more closely to the
citizens;

considers

initiatives,

continued engagement

that Croatia's
that has

in
27.
regional
further
improvement of relations with its neighbours, has to be encour-
aged and strengthened; and highlights the importance of cross-
border cooperation between local authorities in Croatia's border
regions and those of neighbouring countries (Bosnia-Herzego-
vina, Serbia, Slovenia and Montenegro);

contributed towards

28.
welcomes Croatia's full cooperation with the Interna-
tional Criminal Tribunal and calls for further progress in the
including the strengthening of
conduct of war crimes trials,
witness protection programmes;

welcomes the fact that both prime ministers of Croatia
29.
and Slovenia have reached an informal agreement in principle,
that the border dispute should be submitted for decision to a
third arbitrator; calls upon the Croatian and Slovenian govern-
ments to make a good use of all opportunities for realisation of
this Agreement; welcomes the decision of the Croatian Parlia-
ment, that Croatia will not implement the Ecological and Fish-
eries Protection Zone until a common friendly solution in the
spirit of EU, will be achieved;

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30.
believes that progress has been made in improving the
implementation of the Constitutional Law on national minori-
ties, and that the position of the Roma minority in Croatia is
improving; nevertheless considers that further progress must be
made with regard to the social integration of ethnic minorities,
particularly the Roma populations,
refugees, by
promoting access to public services and higher education;

and of

highlights the importance of creating specific instruments
31.
to ensure good governance, focusing in particular on the fight
against corruption. In this context, the extended remit of the
Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime
(USKOK) and the increase in corruption cases being prosecuted
in the Croatian courts is to be welcomed; calls upon the Croa-
tian government
the
to further
national anti-corruption programme 2006-2008;

increase its efforts under

32.
welcomes the progress achieved in the construction and
reconstruction of housing units and infrastructure, as well as the
housing programme for solving the issue of former tenancy
rights holders, and calls for its continuation and acceleration;

33.
welcomes the recent progress with regard to regional
instruments, but
policy and the coordination of structural
stresses that measures are still needed to increase efficiency and
improve the administrative capabilities of public institutions, in
order to effectively manage European funds;

observes, nonetheless, that some progress has been made
34.
towards the reform of
local public administrations, although
uneven implementation of the legislative framework for public
administration has led to its inefficiency;

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

35.
considers that the former Yugoslav Republic of Mace-
donia has made considerable progress towards fulfilling the
Copenhagen political criteria and economic criteria and high-
lights the progress made at the end of 2007; calls therefore on
the Council to decide on opening negotiations with the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;

welcomes the compliance with a number of the provi-

36.
sions of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement;

37.
notes that the implementation of the Ohrid framework
agreement has triggered radical changes within the former Yugo-
slav Republic of Macedonia society, with the full recognition of
its multi-ethnic and multicultural nature, this being a key aspect
of the political criteria for accession to the EU; again emphasises

Brussels, 9 April 2008.

that the Badinter principle must be fully obeyed, and that all
parties must respect each other and work together within the
democratic institutions which the country has struggled to
create. Regrets, however, that integration of ethnic minorities
remains limited;

38.
recommends that the former Yugoslav Republic of Mace-
donia learn from Europe's experience in the field of public
administration and education, which takes ethnic and linguistic
diversity into account; calls for the conclusion of agreements to
secure the harmonious, equitable coexistence of the two ethnic
majority communities and various minorities;
in this context,
calls for the effective application of the constitutional provisions
aimed at guaranteeing fair representation of ethnic minorities in
public administration;

39.
regrets the fact that corruption is still rife and continues
to be a very serious problem, and therefore recommends that
the authorities take steps to eradicate this blight;

40.
appreciates the efforts made to decentralise local public
administration and the concern shown for administrative effi-
ciency by consolidating various municipalities for economic and
development reasons; also stresses the need to speed up the
process of financial decentralisation in order to strengthen the
authority of local and regional administrations;

regrets the fact that no progress has been made on the
41.
issue of the country's name. Welcomes the resumption of nego-
tiations assisted by the UN's special envoy Matthew Nimetz, and
calls on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to step up
its efforts to help resolve the issue in line with UN Security
Council Resolutions 817/93 and 845/93, thus promoting the
establishment of good-neighbourly relations and the develop-
ment of regional cooperation;

42.
applauds the efforts made to increase administrative
transparency by guaranteeing citizens' access to public informa-
tion, but points out that the public institutions involved are not
prepared or are unwilling to facilitate access to information;

welcomes the decision by its Bureau on 4 March 2008
43.
to set up a joint CoR-the former Yugoslav Republic of Mace-
donia consultative committee following the formal
request
submitted by the government of the former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia; calls for all necessary administrative steps to be
to enable the consultative committee's first
taken in order
meeting to be held in the first semester 2008.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Luc VAN DEN BRANDE