Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-21-Speech-1-089"
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"en.20050221.13.1-089"2
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"Madam President, I believe the President-in-Office of the Council has already made the point that this is a good day. We have now seen the results from Spain, which put us all in a better position, not only as regards the referendum campaign but also by making it clear that a great nation has decided by a large majority in favour of this political project. We also have something to show tomorrow, when you see President Bush. It has become clear to all of us – and this must be reflected in our policies – that only joint action makes us a significant factor, and this action pays off, because I can find no other explanation for Condoleezza Rice’s comment that the European Constitution should be adopted. US policy, indeed, is sounding an entirely new note here. Allow me also to express my thanks to you, President Barroso, for your own particular role in enabling the President of this House to take part in tomorrow’s meeting.
I should like to refer to another related point, namely our neighbourhood policy. I do not believe we have made enough progress in this direction, and President Yushchenko will be here in Parliament on Wednesday so that we can seek a new way to address the formidable challenge of cementing democracy in Eastern Europe, so that closer links can be forged between Eastern Europe and the European Union. This implies an urgent need for something more than the neighbourhood policy, because the alternative is increased pressure to narrow the focus of discussions prematurely onto full membership, which we could not deliver immediately, because it would overstretch the integrative capacity of the European Union.
We must offer a vision to the people of these countries, and so it is certainly worth considering whether there should perhaps be another option besides full membership, an option that does not close the door on full membership but holds out that prospect as a long-term goal. At the same time, such an option can bring immediate gains, as happened in the past with the European Economic Area, from which Austria, Finland and Sweden entered the European Union.
I ask the Commission to give this serious thought, because I fear that we shall otherwise become embroiled very soon in a difficult situation. It has been made very clear this afternoon that we are providing these countries, which were victims not only of the Second World War but also of the dictatorship that followed it, with a prospect that enables them to build democracy while strengthening this European Union of ours without impairing its ability to act."@en1
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