Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-10-25-Speech-2-140"
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"en.20051025.20.2-140"2
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".
Madam President, Commissioner, I should like to begin by thanking Mr Wiersma, who has given up his turn to speak, as I cannot be present for the entire debate. I should also like to pay tribute to the work carried out by the Commission, which is, I believe, entirely in accordance both with the conclusions of the European Council and with the resolutions voted in favour of by our Parliament. In December 2004, we decided to close negotiations. The main areas of reform in which progress needed to be made with regard to the
I am referring to justice, internal affairs, competition and the environment – were identified, and it was also decided, at that time, that these reforms would be monitored by the Commission, with the possibility – the assumption – that a safeguard clause would be introduced, which could postpone membership by one year. The work presented to us today is rigorous and objective. I believe that it successfully marks the progress made, that it highlights what limits exist and that it points out what efforts remain to be made, and, as Mr Brok has just said, this approach has, I believe, our full support.
I should like, however, to draw four conclusions of a more political nature from my reading of the reports. The first is that we have a common objective, and that objective is the simultaneous accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union. This is the culmination of the great liberation movement that took place in Eastern Europe. Holding debates on one particular country or another’s relation to the EU’s borders is all very well, but such debates obviously do not apply to Romania and Bulgaria, as the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs has just said. It is not a question of if, but of when Romania and Bulgaria join the EU.
My second conclusion: the Commission’s report highlights both the progress and the efforts that need to be made. A great deal of progress is required. I, for my part, am not sure that the report should be shown the yellow card, for when I see what is said about freedom of expression, justice, the integration of minorities, the protection of minors and competition, I say to myself that there are no grounds to draw negative conclusions about the report, because what has been addressed is not without significance. At the same time, the report highlights substantial efforts that need to be made, and even points of concern that still remain. Firstly, one such point of concern is high-level corruption, to tackle which clearly defined institutions and all-out determination are required. A further point of concern is external borders, which need to be secure and controlled, while other points include trafficking in human beings, the environment and the integration of the Roma community. Dealing with these issues is no small task, either.
My third conclusion: I agree with the procedure now proposed by the Commission. Today is not the time to give a definitive opinion on the safeguard clause; it would be premature to do so. The monitoring exercise has to be pursued extremely strictly, and, in this respect, it is relevant to arrange for a meeting to be held in April or May. I would remind the Commissioner that the European Parliament wants to be fully involved in making the final decision. Today, we have stopped in midstream: the safeguard clause is not desirable for Romania, for Bulgaria or for the EU, but the idea of it cannot be brushed aside.
I will conclude by reaffirming a desire, which I know is shared on all, or almost all, sides of this Chamber: we want Romania and Bulgaria to join the EU, and we want them to do so on 1 January 2007. This desire has not been brought into question. It remains intact after the reports have been read but, as the Commission’s report highlights, Romania and Bulgaria hold the key to their membership. The spirit in which we will support the Commission will remain unchanged, and that spirit is one of not only offering friendship and trust but also of making demands."@en1
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