EP-commissie Buitenlandse Zaken ondervraagt Eurocommissaris Füle over uitbreidingsstrategie EU (en)

No country will join the European Union before being 100% ready, but the EU itself must be 100% ready before it takes in any new country, EU enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle i told the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, after the Commission had released its reports on nine EU hopefuls.

Replying to questions raised by José Salafranca (EPP i, ES) on Turkey, the Commissioner believed “not many people can be satisfied with the current pace of negotiations” with Turkey. To “avoid losing momentum”, it is urgent that Turkey should implement in a non-discriminatory manner the additional protocol (on trade relations) to its association agreement with the EU, he added.

Mr Füle could not give any guarantee on opening further EU accession negotiating chapters in the near future, but said that “any progress would accelerate the process”. He also said he had been impressed by the openness and enthusiasm on both sides in Cyprus. Mr Füle confirmed that the Commission fully supports efforts under way to reach a settlement on the Cyprus issue.

Several MEPs underlined that Ankara should respect the freedom of expression.

Montenegro

MEPs expressed support for the Commission recommendation on granting Montenegro EU accession candidate status. However, the date for launching negotiations with Podgorica was now “very much in the hands of Montenegro”, said Mr Füle.

Croatia

Rapporteur i on Croatia Hannes Swoboda (S&D i, AT), expressed hope that the country could join during the next EU presidency. Alexander Lambsdorff (ALDE, DE), observed that the EU should not mention any date, in order to restore its credibility. The Commissioner said concluding negotiations with Croatia in the first half of 2011 was “theoretically possible”, but added that “the final leap is sometimes the most difficult”.

Albania

Most MEPs agreed with the Commissioner that the political stalemate in Albania had been hampering the country’s efforts to become a candidate for EU membership.

FYROM

Several MEPs raised the issue of the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Mr Füle expressed hope that the current negotiations between Greece and FYROM might lead to a solution. The Commissioner believed “both Prime Ministers realize what is at stake”.

Mr Füle said the Commission had undertaken that after the expected visa liberalization for Albanian and Bosnian citizens, negotiations on visa-free travel for Kosovo could follow suit.

Finally, the Commissioner underlined that substantial efforts were needed to inform Icelandic citizens about what EU membership entails.

In the chair: Gabriele Albertini (EPP, IT)