Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-06-07-Speech-2-359-000"
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"en.20110607.25.2-359-000"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I would like to thank those who commented positively on the efforts of the Hungarian Presidency. It was very important for us to feel your support throughout the entire past five months. Today’s debate has also shown clearly that there is a strong majority in the European Parliament supporting Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area because they have done their homework.
During the past five months, and for the remaining time ahead of us, we will fight to express this, and for the Council to determine that as far as the technical standards are concerned, Romania and Bulgaria are ready to join the Schengen area. Both countries have worked very hard and deserve the maximum amount of appreciation for their efforts. Many have voiced their opinion during the debate – those who are for, as well as those who are against or for postponing the accession – that mutual trust is the key word in this issue. I also agree strongly with this, and the Hungarian Presidency has aimed to build trust throughout the entire time.
How did we try to achieve this? On the one hand, we were engaged in continuous dialogue with both countries, watching their efforts and attempting to help them find ways to get a better recognition of their efforts. On the other hand, we were continuously in touch with countries that expressed doubts about the accession of Romania and Bulgaria. We then made efforts to encourage these countries to contact the candidate countries as well. As a result, I can tell you that there was a continuous dialogue behind the scenes in order for the parties to better understand and trust one another. This is the mutual trust upon which the majority of our policies are built in the European Union; without it, Member States are unable to make this political decision that requires unanimity. This is a time-consuming process.
We had six months to achieve this. I trust that during these six months, we will reach the point where, in exactly two days, the Member States will say ‘yes, the homework has been done’. What can help create mutual trust? On the one hand, the series of consultations, which I have mentioned. On the other hand, that both candidate countries continue their efforts and keep proving that they are capable of defending the external borders of the European Union. The conduct exhibited by these two countries, coupled with their enormous growth, pace and rhythm, must be continued in the near future as well.
On the other hand, I am convinced that the cooperation and verification mechanism – the famous CVM on which the Commission will release a report in July, dealing with the exact same issues that were voiced in this debate – could be helpful, even if officially, it is not part of the conditions for Schengen accession. The Commission will issue a certificate concerning the fight against organised crime and corruption. We have fought all along for this not to be laid down as a condition, but it will definitely support the building of mutual trust. As such, I am convinced that a positive CVM will promote a positive political decision regarding the Schengen expansion as well.
If you ask me about the general mood regarding any type of admission into the Schengen area, then we all know that it would be difficult to say that the European Union is currently in a particularly welcoming mood. Several comments have been made in this debate that aptly demonstrate this. For instance, some are saying that with the Romanian-Bulgarian accession, the Roma population will begin to move from these two countries. I would like to be very clear: freedom of movement is a basic principle of the European Union, it is effective and valid, it is what our policies are built upon; this freedom is currently enjoyed by the Romanian and Bulgarian Roma population, just as by everyone else in every corner of the European Union. Everyone can move freely, there are no visa requirements, and if anyone wanted to leave now, they could.
However, I am very proud of the fact that a Roma strategy was devised during the Hungarian Presidency which determines clearly the obligations of every Member State in connection with the community of this difficult fate. The problem must be treated at its roots: by providing better employment and education opportunities for them, this internal migration pressure will also decrease within the European Union. And allow me one more comment: if anyone were to deny one of our most basic freedom rights from the weakest, then these rights would be in jeopardy for all of us.
And finally, since the ongoing evaluation of the Schengen system has been discussed at length as well, I would like to say that the Hungarian Presidency has already stated this very clearly from the first moment, and this is something we continue to believe in. The issue of the Schengen expansion must be clearly separated from the type of evaluation to which we will subject the Schengen system. Let us not confuse the two. We must preserve the acquis regarding the freedom of movement, and we must utilise our available means better, for instance, to ensure a better mutual control of our external borders. This is why we are working on the Frontex Regulation; this is why we are working on reducing the migratory pressure from North Africa by addressing its local causes; this is why there is a new neighbourhood policy; this is why we are working on increasing the lending capacity of the European Investment Bank. We are in the final hour. There is only one legal problem standing in the way of reaching an agreement with you: the usual ‘delegated act’ problem. It is only after this that we review the Schengen system and look at how it can be adjusted or improved, because we can see that there are indeed problems with it, but let us stick to this order of things.
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I trust that the forthcoming session of the Justice and Home Affairs Council to be held in two days’ time will make important decisions concerning both the expansion and the verification aspects of the Schengen issue, but in a way that guarantees the freedom of movement of our citizens."@en1
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