Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-04-Speech-3-121"
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"en.20001004.7.3-121"2
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".
As a member of the Delegation to the EU-Poland Joint Parliamentary Committee, I am pleased to have this opportunity to express my opinion on the state of progress of the negotiations with Poland.
Let me remind you that the agreement between Europe and Poland was signed in December 1991 and came into force in February 1994. On 5 April 1994, the Polish Government made its official request for membership of the European Union and, on 31 March 1998, negotiations were officially opened.
Poland is today, in terms of the extent of its territory and population numbers, the country which has the most ‘specific gravity’ of all the candidate countries. By dint of its geographical position it represents an extremely important factor in the stability of the future geopolitical position of the European Union. Furthermore, Poland is an economic partner of substance, given that it represents the European Union’s fourth export market after the United States, Switzerland and Japan.
Accession negotiations with Poland have entered a crucial phase with the opening of all the chapters, including the very important chapter of agriculture. The European Commission has published the second report on Poland's progress along the path to accession. It notes that a great deal of progress has been made thanks to the efforts made by this country, particularly in terms of adopting the Community acquis. Moreover, Poland fully respects human rights and fundamental freedoms. Progress is also evident in the field of the environment, where the ‘National Fund for Protection of the Environment’ has been implemented and the ‘polluter pays’ principle applied. In terms of its foreign relations, the Polish Government has paid special attention to the matter of its borders with the region of Kaliningrad, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine by stepping up institutional and administrative resources, particularly border police.
Problems still remain. According to the Commission, Poland has not yet achieved satisfactory results in terms of increasing the efficiency of its legal system. The country should, moreover, make greater efforts to combat corruption. In economic terms, the Commission document points out that Poland’s principal challenge is to increase the rate of reform and privatisation, especially in the agricultural sector. Restructuring of the agricultural sector would appear to be necessary in a country where the rural population represents 38 % of the total population and accounts for 4.9 % of the GDP, and where agricultural employment is estimated at 27.4 % compared with 5 % within the European Union.
I am fully aware that the Polish authorities consider that Poland will be ready for accession by 31 December 2002. This is not perhaps quite so obvious to the Polish population which is still generally very Euro-sceptical. That is why, although I think it premature to set a precise date at the present moment, it is certain that this candidate country will be among the first to join the European Union!
We have given certain undertakings. Poland is making considerable efforts. The date and precise arrangements for accession must be set by common agreement and not in an antagonistic way."@en1
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