Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-12-13-Speech-3-079"
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"en.20061213.4.3-079"2
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".
Mr President, I want to thank you for this very substantive and responsible debate which is so important for the future of Europe. This is a very encouraging debate. You may recall that in my introduction I said that in Europe we have two discourses that do not often meet: one emphasising the strategic significance of enlargement and the other emphasising only our integration capacity.
This debate is encouraging because if you were able to forge a common position starting from the first drafts of the twins – who are not quite identical twins in terms of enlargement strategy – then the European Council should certainly be able to forge a renewed consensus on enlargement that respects both the strategic value of enlargement and our capacity to integrate new members.
Points were made concerning the European Neighbourhood Policy. Indeed the Commission’s report of 8 November outlines that not all European countries are engaged in the enlargement process. In fact, the European Union has established a variety of relationships with other European countries. We have a comprehensive structure of bilateral agreements with Switzerland; we have the European Economic Area, which is a very far-reaching arrangement of economic integration; and we have the European Neighbourhood Policy.
With regard to the European Neighbourhood Policy, the Commission considers that our recent communication on strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy largely responds to the expectations of Parliament. The ENP is distinct from and parallel to the process of EU enlargement. At the same time the European Neighbourhood Policy does not prejudge the future development of those countries’ relationships with the European Union, in accordance with our Treaty provisions.
There were some suggestions that cultural criteria should be added to the Copenhagen criteria. I can tell you that the Commission is not in favour of that proposal.
I should like to conclude by referring to some reflections of the sociologist and philosopher Ulrich Beck in yesterday’s
. He interpreted the Pope’s recent visit to Turkey. Here we have a respected sociologist interpreting the actions of a respected spiritual leader.
Mr President, I am going to continue in French, and I quote, ‘Europe’s miracle is that it has learnt from history: make neighbours of enemies; that is the soul of Europe. And maybe that is why the Pope, recognising the universal historical importance of compromise between Christians and Muslims, argues for Turkey’s EU membership – in short, for the ongoing Europeanisation of Turkey’.
Ladies and gentlemen, those are wise words that deserve to be reflected on during Christmas and the new year."@en1
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