MEPs push for succeeding the future enlargements

Enlargement must remain a credible policy, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity throughout Europe, foreign affairs committee (AFET) MEPs said on Thursday. Both the EU and the candidates and potential candidates for accession must fulfil all their obligations and respect all commitments, they add, calling for a strict merit-base evaluation of the candidate countries.

Enlargement is the essence of the EU's soft power and its long-term strategic interest, which cannot always be measured in terms of short-term balance sheets, AFET members argue, asking for a strict conditionality to apply to the assessment of the progress of each candidate country, on the basis of a clear set of criteria.

The 20 year old Copenhagen criteria for membership still represent a fundamental basis of the enlargement policy, the resolution, drafted by Maria Eleni Koppa (S&D, EL) says. MEPs underline that the EU member states should abide to them as well and applicant countries cannot be asked to fulfil higher standards than current member states.

Solve bilateral issues before accession

AFET committee stresses that all acceding countries must have resolved their bilateral issues, especially if they concern territorial disputes, before they join the EU. Preferably, these issues should be addressed before the accession negotiations start so that they are not negatively affected, they argue.

Social dimension

Social implications for the membership preparations in the candidate countries need to be addressed as well, the resolution says, calling for the social dimension of the acquis to be fully taken into account during the process. Failure to comply with the EU's common basic social standards would prevent a candidate country from the full participation in the single market, they add.

Integration capacity

The EU is responsible for improving its integration capacity, MEPs say, pointing out that it must be fully reflected in the accession process. It shall not prevent the EU from fulfilling its political objectives and ensure its institutional framework is robust enough to provide for effective decision-making. The EU should also have sufficient financial resources to guarantee the delivery of social and economic cohesion and of its common policies and communicate efficiently on the enlargement.

Citizens' support and communication

A more effective and transparent communication policy is needed to encourage citizens' support for the enlargement in both member states and candidate countries, MEPs stress. Citizens must get clear and comprehensive information on the political, socio-economic and cultural benefits of the enlargement, in particular on how it can help to tackle the economic crisis by inter alia providing for new investment and export opportunities for the older members.

The report was passed with 60 votes in favour and 1 against, with no abstention.

In the chair: Elmar Brok (EPP, DE)
Thursday, 13 September 2012