Commissaris Rehn presenteert Uitbreidingsrapport aan het Europees Parlement (en)

Olli Rehn

EU Commissioner for Enlargement

The Commission's 2007 enlargement reports

Presentation at European Parliament AFET

Brussels, 21 November 09:00

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members,

I would like to begin by presenting the findings and recommendations of the 2007 enlargement package.

In December last year the European Council achieved a renewed consensus on enlargement. This consensus strikes the right balance by confirming the consolidated enlargement agenda (involving Turkey and the Western Balkans), applying strict and fair conditionality, and better communicating enlargement to the public, combined with the EU's capacity to integrate new members.

Our strategy now is about implementing this new consensus. We are taking steps to improve the quality of the enlargement process: extensive use of benchmarking, impact studies on issues related to integration capacity, better linkage of political and economic reforms and negotiations, more transparency in accession negotiations.

Progress over the last year has been uneven. We still have major challenges and serious risks ahead of us such as settling the status of Kosovo, state-building in Bosnia and Herzegovina, reinforcing democracy in Serbia, better governance in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and regenerating the reform process in Turkey.

Let me highlight some of the key challenges.

To begin on a positive note, negotiations with Croatia are advancing well and are entering a decisive phase. Croatia is demonstrating with its progress to the region as a whole that the European perspective is indeed real and tangible.

Croatia however has much work ahead on judicial and public administration reform, in the fight against corruption, on refugee return and minority rights. We also hope that Croatia will soon be able to meet the outstanding benchmarks so that some of the more difficult chapters (such as competition policy and public procurement) can be opened. If Croatia achieves the necessary results, substantial progress in the accession negotiations can be made in 2008.

Turkey went through an extremely difficult period this year, with a severe constitutional crisis and high political tensions. Turkey came out of the crisis remarkably smoothly, in accordance with constitutional rules and with reinforced democratic institutions.

Now the time has come for Turkey to regenerate the momentum of the reform process. It is welcome that the government has put the constitutional reform at the top of its agenda, with a view to reinforce democracy and individual freedoms. But this should not result in postponement of reforms that are urgently needed, such as freedom of expression and of religion. In particular, Article 301 of the Penal Code must be revised without delay, in line with the European Convention on human rights. Freedom of expression is fundamentally important - that is why the Commission proposed that a revision of article 301 as an opening benchmark for Chapter 23 (judiciary and fundamental rights) in the accession negotiations with Turkey. Now, the issue is in the hands of the Turkish Government and Parliament. They have a clear incentive and an interest in making progress.

Turkey is facing continuous cross-border terrorist attacks from the PKK - this has become a defining issue in Turkey over the past year. The EU condemns all terrorist attacks and understands Turkey's need to protect its citizens. We continue to urge Turkey and Iraq to tackle this problem through co-operation between the relevant authorities and by respecting international law.

The Commission reaffirmed in its 2007 Strategy Paper that clarity on the Kosovo status needs to be reached as rapidly as possible. This is necessary for regional stability and for Kosovo's further development. Our report welcomes the fact that the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government have fulfilled their core roles and that overall stability is being maintained, while considerable further reform efforts are needed, not least in the area of minority rights and decentralisation.

Negotiations are continuing. We must use the last weeks available to really press for a solution. The EU is ready to turn every stone - and even more - to arrive at a negotiated solution.

Elections were held in Kosovo last weekend. I welcome that the elections in Kosovo were conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner and in accordance with international standards, as reported by the preliminary assessment of the international observation mission. I am pleased that the European Parliament participated in the election observation. The low participation by the Kosovo Serb community and Belgrade's call for a boycott are regrettable.

The elected politicians should now work smoothly for the rapid formation of the new government. I urge the democratically elected authorities to engage constructively in a managed and multilateral process for sustainable status settlement steered by the international community and the EU, as well as to facilitate progress on European integration.

On 7 November, I had the pleasure of initialing the SAA with Serbia on behalf of the Commission. This decision was taken following demonstration of concrete improvements and intensified co-operation by Serbia with the ICTY. The SAAis a key step in developing the relations between Serbia and the EU, and a gateway to candidate status. It is evidence of the EU's commitment to Serbia's European course.

Our policy of conditionality has moved this process forward. I have been in regular contact with the ICTY Chief Prosecutor C. Del Ponte who last visited Belgrade at the end of October.

The satisfactory implementation of the SAA will be Serbia's gateway to the next stage towards the EU. I am convinced that the country can make great strides, as we have said in our Progress Report, but Serbia should now meet its international obligation to fully cooperate with the ICTY, leading to the arrest of the remaining indictees. By initialling the SAA now, we put the ball to Serbia's court. We are ready to move to next phase, once Serbia is ready by meeting the political conditions. It is in the hands of the leaders of Serbia.

Honourable Members,

We are entering a period that will be critical for Kosovo, Serbia and the wider region. The events of the coming months may shape the region for years to come. A sustainable solution to the status of Kosovo is in the interests of all parties.

While the security situation remains stable, the current political situation in BiH raises considerable concerns. The resignation of Prime Minister Spiric and the threat by the Republika Srpska to withdraw from the State institutions is potentially damaging.

Given the political tensions in the country, it was no great surprise that the Commission's Progress Reports on BiH was rather critical. The report underlined that BiH has failed to properly address the majority of the European Partnership priorities.

It is now important to calm the situation down and avoid further escalation. Mr Lajcak and his team are working on this and the Commission supports them. Bosnia and Herzegovina has lost much time already on its reform agenda.

In every crisis, there is an opportunity. The Declaration signed in Mostar on 28 October by the country's main party leaders may provide that opportunity. I believe that party leaders present in Mostar understood the gravity of their country's situation and that this was their key motivation for striking a consensus on police reform in accordance with the EU's three principles. The Mostar Declaration can be a basis for taking forward the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, if it is converted into legislative action.

The same party leaders who adopted the Mostar Declaration are meeting again tomorrow. The results of this meeting will be an important indicator of their commitment to EU integration.

The country has a chance now to leave the damaging tensions behind. I trust its leaders realize their responsibility and seize the opportunity to take Bosnia and Herzegovina forward towards its European perspective.

I welcome progress made by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for example in the fight against corruption. Yet, continuing political tensions in the country have been delaying reforms. We need a more constructive and inclusive political dialogue, so that reforms will gather a new momentum next year in 2008. This is a must before considering any move to the next stage towards the EU.

Mr Chairman, honourable members,

The prospect of accession to the European Union can be a powerful catalyst towards the reforms in the candidate countries and potential candidate countries. We need to maintain the EU's soft power to encourage democratic and economic transformation whilst, at the same time, ensuring EU's capacity to gradually integrate new members.

In this context the Commission welcomes the priority which the Slovenian Presidency will give to the Western Balkans region. Early next year, the Commission will issue a Communication taking stock of actions endorsed in Salzburg in 2006 and exploring possibilities of further steps supporting the Western Balkan countries on their way towards the EU.

We will pay due attention to issues of particular importance for the Western Balkans. Visa facilitation agreement need to be implemented. We will launch a dialogue on road maps setting out the way for a visa-free regime with the countries concerned. We will also deploy measures to support better governance, strengthen the rule of law, increase people-to-people contacts, and strengthen civil society.

Our support to the Western Balkans also encompasses important financial assistance, policy advice and technical expertise. We are devoting a lot of efforts to ensure a smooth transition, by end 2008, from the European Agency for Reconstruction to programming and implementation of assistance by EC Delegations in Skopje, Belgrade and Podgorica, as well as EC Liaison Office in Pristina. The decision of phasing out the EAR in the Westerns Balkans, and the parallel phasing in of reinforced Commission delegations, was taken with the assent of the European Parliament. I am grateful to the members of this Committee who

have supported our efforts in this regard. I also dare ask for your support, notably in convincing the Committee on Budgetary Control, who have started to question this approach.

Let me re-iterate: The agency has done excellent job in reconstruction, but now focus shifts from building bridges to building states and institutions, rule of law and legal systems. In other words, talking about core tasks of enlargement policy. It is our joint responsibility that these tasks are conducted with best possible effectiveness and efficiency.

Mr Chairman, dear colleagues,

Let me conclude by underlining that the process of accession is an equation that must have two essential components in order to lead to results. Conditionality is its cornerstone, but it only works if the EU respects its own commitment to the prospect of accession. We have to be fair in order to be firm.

We have major challenges ahead. I trust I can count on your support in implementing our gradual and carefully managed accession strategy.