Debate: Establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans
Date: TUESDAY, 23 APRIL 2024
Speaker: Tonino Picula
Country: France
Language: EN

The Facility is the centrepiece of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, published by the Commission in November last year. The Facility will cover the period from second half of the current year to 2027, and is expected to provide up to 2 billion in grants and 4 billion in loans to the European Union Western Balkan partners. It will complement the existing Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III), considerably increasing financial assistance to partners in the region. As the co-rapporteur from AFET, I would definitely like to emphasise some foreign policy and enlargement points that we have achieved throughout the negotiations. It is important to underline that for European Parliament, alignment of the Western Balkans countries with our Common Foreign and Security Policy was a main point. A reference to the CFSP is kept in the text as this is, for us, one of the key components of the overall policy framework on the enlargement processes. Eventually, convergence with the Council was reached on the following points: a reference to full alignment with the CFSP, including restrictive measures in Article 3, objectives 13 and 14, Reform Agendas. Related to this, a reference was added to fight disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference, and moving forwards, harmonisation of visa policies with the Union. The placement of the text on Serbia-Kosovo dialogue remained in the Article 5 precondition, with the updated wording from the European Parliament. The Commission initially objected to the European Parliament wording in Article 5.2. Preconditions that the Commission shall also take into account recommendations of relevant international bodies, including the Venice Commission, Council of Europe or OECD. Finally, it was added to the text in the article after free and fair elections, which is especially important considering the recent elections in Serbia. We also managed to agree to add Commission Rule of Law Reports into the text as a part of the definition of the enlargement policy framework in Article 2.  I also want to reiterate that the European Parliament went through a process in a uniquely unprecedented speed, having such a short time to come to negotiate in view of reaching an agreement, has proven very challenging, both on the political and technical level. The outcome in such a quick procedure has to be considered as an achievement. However, the European Parliament should not agree to such an extremely rushed procedure in the future. I believe that support for enlargement will continue in the next mandate. We, as the European Parliament, also stress the consistent message that enlargement can go hand in hand with internal EU debates. Therefore, I would like to point out several key points. Every candidate country should be judged on their merit. Our fundamental values, such as the rule of law and democratic standards, must be the pillar of our assessment if the country is ready to join the European Union. Building bridges, tunnels and highways is welcome, but respect for fundamental values must be a precondition for that. The European Union is more than an economic union, it is a union of values and shared risks. Once the candidate country fulfils all the criteria, there should be no political delays to its accession. EU enlargement is one of the most successful EU policies and it must continue. Dear colleagues, we have always supported EU enlargement and believe that our cooperation with Western Balkans countries is of crucial importance. But we always stress that joining the club is about adhering to certain values and norms that the Union represents. We need to deliver, but Western Balkan countries need to deliver too. Having said that, the waiting room before the European Union door is now completely full. The time has come to finally change that and start to fulfil the enlargement ambitions. As the mandate is ending, I am also proud to have authored the Parliament’s recommendations on the new EU strategy for enlargement. Revived enlargement policy will be an excellent legacy for this term and a message for the future. Thank you once again for your support.