Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-06-20-Speech-2-053"
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"en.20060620.6.2-053"2
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".
Mr President, after the Chancellor’s comprehensive summing-up of the debate, let me just say a few words about enlargement after the European Council.
The Commission welcomes the conclusions on enlargement of the European Council, skilfully presided by the Austrian Presidency. These conclusions pave the way for a new consensus on enlargement in the European Union. This new consensus should, above all, enhance our enlightened self-interest to extend the zone of peace, democracy and prosperity in Europe, while, at the same time, ensuring our capacity to function effectively and gradually absorb new members.
I want to draw your attention to three particular conclusions. Firstly, the European Council rightly underlines the success of EU enlargement by stating that it has proved a historic opportunity contributing to peace, security, stability, democracy and the rule of law, as well as to growth and prosperity in the Union as a whole, to which Chancellor Schüssel rightly referred.
Secondly, I am satisfied that the European Council did not change the criteria of accession that were agreed in Copenhagen in 1993. No new criteria were set up; instead, the European Council reaffirmed that it will honour its existing commitments
. Thus it confirmed the EU’s consolidated enlargement agenda, which covers south-eastern Europe, i.e. Bulgaria and Romania, Turkey and Croatia and the other countries of the western Balkans. I shall have an opportunity to talk about Turkey and its reforms and commitments at this afternoon’s meeting of Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Thirdly, the European Council stresses the importance of ensuring that in the future the Union is able to function politically, financially and institutionally as it enlarges, and to further deepen Europe’s common project. It is a very important dimension and objective for this House and for the Commission.
As we know, the European Council will hold a debate in December 2006, and the Commission was invited to report on all the relevant aspects of enlargement pertaining to the Union’s absorption capacity. This corresponds by and large to Parliament’s resolution following the Brok report some time ago.
The Commission will duly and gladly present a strategy document on enlargement, including absorption capacity, as part of our enlargement package in October/November 2006. I have started to prepare that document, and we are looking forward to a substantive and responsible enlargement debate with Parliament and the Council. This debate should not be limited just to the EU institutions: it should also reach out to civil society, both in the Member States as well as in the candidate countries.
It is time to create a new consensus on EU enlargement policy, based on the consolidation of our commitments, rigorous application of conditionality and better communication with our citizens. That is the best way to ensure that enlargement remains a success story, as has now been acknowledged by the European Council."@en1
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