Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-11-25-Speech-3-262"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20091125.21.3-262"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, let me first thank the members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and its Chair, Gabriele Albertini, for a balanced and comprehensive resolution. I would also like to thank all of you for your excellent cooperation over the past five years. The European Parliament has greatly helped to shape our enlargement policy and you have set an example of democratic accountability. I look forward to continuing our excellent cooperation in the future, whatever the portfolio in my case.
To conclude, we set out together an ambitious but, in retrospect, realistic agenda five years ago when I started my mandate as Enlargement Commissioner. During my hearings, I told this Parliament that by 2009, we wanted to see an EU of 27 Member States with Bulgaria and Romania in, the accession process with Croatia reaching its final stage, the other Western Balkan countries anchored in the EU through association agreements, Turkey firmly on a European track, Kosovo’s status settled and Cyprus reunified. I am glad and proud that, with the important exception of Cyprus, where settlement talks are still ongoing, nearly all our ambitions have materialised. We have worked together for these very worthy goals and together we have made a difference. Even Cyprus might still happen, to the benefit of all of its citizens and the European Union.
Besides, though I hoped for it, I did not dare to forecast progress on visa liberalisation five years ago. Yet here we are, one month away from turning the dream of the citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia into reality. We hope to do the same for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina next year once they meet the conditions.
It is therefore a very important reminder to all of us who work with south-eastern Europe of how attractive the European dream remains for millions of citizens in our immediate neighbourhood. Let us keep that dream alive and, in time, make it a reality.
The EU will take a long-awaited step forward next week when the Lisbon Treaty enters into force. This will start a new era in the EU’s foreign policy. Indirectly, it will also cement the EU’s renewed consensus on enlargement based on the three ‘C’s of consolidation, conditionality and communication, combined with an approved capacity to integrate new members. This will enable us to continue our gradual and carefully managed accession process.
As your draft resolution illustrates, enlargement is one of the EU’s most powerful foreign policy tools today. This was also the spirit of Carl Bildt’s message, and I do agree with this message based on empirical evidence during the Swedish Presidency and over the years and decades. It is also true that the EU’s credibility as a global actor stands or falls by our ability to shape our very own neighbourhood. It is here that we have achieved our most remarkable successes over the past 20 years of transforming the European continent by reunifying East and West and thus building a stronger European Union.
Enlargement has been a key driver of this process and it continues to transform south-eastern Europe today. Albania’s and Montenegro’s applications for EU membership underscore the Union’s continued power of attraction. Iceland’s application adds a new political and geo-economic dimension to our enlargement agenda. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia are both considering submitting an application. Given the economic crisis, all these countries might easily have turned inwards. Instead, they continue to pursue European orientation with all the tough choices and bold reforms this entails. Croatia is nearing the finishing line after four years of intense accession negotiations. Zagreb now needs to intensify its reform efforts, especially in the judiciary and the fight against corruption and organised crime, so that negotiations can be concluded. ICTY cooperation remains a must.
We have seen steady progress in Turkey as well. Turkey plays a key role in energy security and in the dialogue between civilisations. Ankara’s commitment to normalise relations with Armenia is historic, as is the democratic opening to resolve the Kurdish question, but Turkey still has a long way to go. Besides reforms, we expect Turkey to ensure full implementation of the Ankara Protocol and to make progress towards the normalisation of relations with Cyprus.
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has made convincing progress recently and substantially addressed the key reform priorities. The country sufficiently fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria. These factors enabled the Commission to recommend the opening of accession negotiations. I have the impression that the government in Skopje has rightly seen our recommendation as an encouragement to finally settle the name issue with Greece. There is now a new context, a new debate and a new window of opportunity that I trust both Skopje and Athens will indeed capitalise on.
There has been good news in Serbia too. Belgrade has demonstrated its commitment to EU integration, not least by implementing the interim agreement with the EU unilaterally, and I assume that the ICTY should now be satisfied with Serbia’s efforts. I agree with your draft resolution to unblock the agreement. It is high time to allow Serbia to move to the next stage of its European journey.
Bosnia and Herzegovina presents its own serious challenges, partly due to its wartime history, but let me be clear that there can be no discounts in EU enlargement. Bosnia’s application for EU membership can only be considered once the OHR has closed. Bosnia also needs to undertake constitutional changes in part to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights. Respect for human rights is a founding principle of the European Union. Together with the Presidency and the United States, we have proposed a package of reforms to achieve this. I hope, for the sake of the citizens and for the region as a whole, that the Bosnian leaders will rise to the occasion and reach an agreement. The EU and the US are engaged at the highest levels because we want Bosnia to succeed, and I believe it can succeed.
As for Kosovo, stability has been maintained but still remains fragile. The Commission has presented a study on how to promote Kosovo’s socio-economic development and anchor it to Europe. We identify eventual visa facilitation and trade as flagships once the conditions have been met."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata | |
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples