Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-11-21-Speech-3-363-000"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20121121.25.3-363-000"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, I would like to thank the Parliament, and in particular the rapporteur, Ms Koppa, for her excellent report on enlargement. I welcome the report’s acknowledgement that enlargement is a successful European Union policy and has to remain in the Union’s toolbox.
The report is largely in line with and supportive of the Commission’s approach, in particular on the balance between conditionality/integration capacity, on the one hand, and maintaining the momentum of the enlargement process, on the other. I am pleased with the emphasis in the report on benchmarking; on the necessary link between the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) objectives and the requirements of the accession criteria; on greater involvement of civil society and the social partners in the accession process; and on associating the enlargement countries with the Europe 2020 goals. This is all in line with the Commission’s policy, as reflected in this year’s enlargement strategy communication.
Let me turn now to some of the issues raised in the report, starting with the methodology. As you know, the Commission is actively engaged in the process of constantly improving the enlargement methodology. With the new approach on chapters 23 and 24, we have taken seriously the lessons learned in previous enlargements and have proposed a concrete way of reflecting them in future. The two chapters will now be opened as early as possible and should be among the last ones to be closed. This will allow the accession countries sufficient time to develop solid and sustainable track records.
We agree on the need for a focus on ‘social challenges’ at times when this dimension is of the utmost importance in both the enlargement countries and the EU. The initiative for a new dialogue with the enlargement countries on employment and social reform programmes, as set out in this year’s strategy paper, responds to that need.
On open bilateral issues, it is important that these are addressed as early as possible in the enlargement process, with determination, in a good-neighbourly spirit and taking into account overall EU interests. Bilateral issues should not hold up the accession process.
We welcome the acknowledgment in the report that the Copenhagen criteria continue to be the fundamental basis and should remain at the heart of enlargement policy. The Commission considers that the existing basis remains relevant and adequate.
The Commission always keeps policies under review, taking account of developments and lessons learned, and we are open to discussing further refinements. We have taken note of the comments in the report on the need to simplify and reduce the administrative burden associated with IPA funding. I agree with these comments and, largely thanks to the lessons learned from the current IPA instrument and feedback from the various stakeholders, our IPA II proposal addresses this need.
Let me conclude by thanking you, honourable Members, for your continued support for our enlargement policy. With your support, I am confident that enlargement will remain a strong and credible policy, with the rule of law at its centre, for the benefit of the citizens of the enlargement countries and the European Union as a whole."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata | |
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples