Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-07-09-Speech-3-295"
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"en.20080709.32.3-295"2
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"Mr President, the Council would like to thank the European Parliament and in particular Mr Brok, for his report on the Commission’s 2007 enlargement strategy paper, and to take advantage of this opportunity to applaud the active part played by Parliament, and its invaluable contribution to the enlargement process.
With regard to Croatia, negotiations have been opened in 20 chapters, and have been provisionally closed in two of them.
On 17 June, intergovernmental conferences were held at ministerial level with Turkey and Croatia to open negotiations with Turkey in Chapter 6, ‘Company law’, and Chapter 7, ‘Intellectual property law’, and with Croatia in Chapter 2, ‘Freedom of movement for workers’, and Chapter 19, ‘Social policy and employment’.
Our aim is to take these negotiations forward, and I would remind you that with regard to our relations with Turkey, we want the reform process to continue and to be stepped up. It is this that will ensure that the process is irreversible and durable, and we shall continue to monitor closely the progress achieved in all areas, particularly as regards compliance with the Copenhagen criteria.
Naturally, progress also needs to be made towards normalising bilateral relations with the Republic of Cyprus. As regards Croatia, negotiations are going well, and this year they have entered a decisive phase. The main objective is now to continue to turn the progress achieved to good account, and to speed up the rate of reform.
Thus the European Union is encouraging Croatia to continue its efforts to establish good relations with neighbouring countries, including work designed to find definitive solutions that are acceptable to both parties, and, of course, to resolve the remaining bilateral issues with its neighbours.
However, I should also like to take advantage of this speech, if you will allow me to do so, Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, strongly to condemn, on behalf of the Presidency, the violent events of this morning in Istanbul, whose victims were police officers on duty outside the United States Embassy in Istanbul. On behalf of the Presidency, we denounce this appalling attack, and of course we are currently in close contact with the Turkish authorities.
Mr Brok’s report shows that the latest enlargement has been a success both for the European Union and for the Member States that have acceded to it.
We believe that it has been a success for the EU, and that it has made it possible to overcome the division of Europe and helped to ensure peace and stability throughout the continent. It has inspired reforms, and has reinforced the common principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and the fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and the market economy.
Enlargement of the single market and expansion of economic cooperation have reinforced prosperity and competitiveness, which has enabled the European Union to improve its response to the challenge of globalisation, and has also facilitated exchanges with our partners. Enlargement has undoubtedly given the European Union greater weight in the world, and has made it a stronger international player.
Our enlargement policy is well established, and has taken on board the lessons learned from previous enlargements. In December 2007, the Union agreed that future enlargement strategy would be based on consolidation of commitments, on equitable and rigorous conditionality, and on improved communication. This remains the basis for our approach to enlargement.
The Union has concluded that, in order for it to be able to maintain its capacity for integration, candidate countries must be prepared to accept in full the obligations that ensue for them from accession, and that the Union must be able to function effectively and to move forward, as Mr Brok stressed in his speech.
These two aspects are essential if we are to win widespread, lasting support from the public. They should be mobilised by means of greater transparency and improved communication on these issues, and I am counting on the European Parliament to help us in this.
The European Union will fulfil its commitments as regards the negotiations under way.
With regard to Turkey, the screening, that is to say the first formal stage for each chapter, has been completed for 23 chapters, in eight of which negotiations have been opened."@en1
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