Press release
EU wants a "boring Western Balkans", Rehn tells Foreign Affairs Committee
External relations - 03-04-2008 - 11:45
Committees
Committees
The EU wants the Western Balkans to become as "normal, prosperous and boring" as Scandinavia, with the help of Stabilisation and Association Agreements that EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn hopes to sign soon with all countries in the region, he told the Foreign Affairs Committee Wednesday. MEPs and experts also debated "enlargement fatigue", the EU's "absorption capacity", Serbia and Turkey.
Presenting a Commission Communication on "The Western Balkans: Enhancing the European Perspective", Mr Rehn said he plans to have "road maps" in place by the end of April for visa-free travel between all countries in the region and the EU, but noted that in general, "progress in any domain depends on human action".
Noting that the phrase "this is the Balkans" is often presented as an excuse or explanation, he declared "I've been there enough to know all the ethnic and other cleavages, and I don't underestimate them, but I refuse to surrender to them".
Enlargement fatigue?
Expert Kai Olaf Lang, of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, argued that in the near future, "the focus should be on the internal coherence of the EU", and on completing internal reforms before enlarging further. "The Lisbon treaty does not prepare the EU for upcoming enlargements, it is a belated response to the 2004 and 2007 enlargements", he said.
Expert Andres Kasekamp, of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, countered that "enlargement has been the most successful EU foreign policy," and that so-called "enlargement fatigue", in some Member States, is a bad argument for slowing the process. "Leaders are hiding behind a public opinion that they helped create," he claimed.
Dr Kasekamp argued that the solution was not to change the rules of the game, by adding new accession criteria or creating "new categories of limbo," but "to stick rigorously to the rules as they are. Problems only start when, for political reasons, criteria are lowered and exceptions made."
Absorption capacity
Elmar Brok (EPP-ED, DE), who is drafting an EP report on the Commission's 2007 enlargement strategy paper, said that this was "not an attempt to block any further accessions". The EU "needs to see its own limits" if it wants to remain an effective institution, he said, arguing that granting some special status short of enlargement to neighbouring countries would strengthen their European perspective, rather than blocking the possibility of their joining the Union later on.
"Talk about the EU's 'absorption capacity' turns a coffee-break into a philosophy", worried Bronislaw Geremek (ALDE, PL). Tunne Kelam (EPP-ED, ET) felt the draft report is a sign that "the EU has hit its mid-life crisis: it is a bit old, a bit tired, and growing more cautious", adding that "a philosophy of cautiousness, however, is something we need to avoid".
Doris Pack (EPP-ED, DE), by contrast, welcomed the tone of the draft report, saying that "we need to have a politics for today, or else our citizens will run away from us and the EU will fall apart." She added that for EU enlargement to be successful, the EU needs to be functional, and to have a "neighbourhood policy worthy of its name."
"New Member States' MEPs seem to see the success of the latest enlargement very differently from those of the old Member States, noted Gisela Kallenbach (Greens/EFA, DE), adding that "this shows a great problem in communication from the EU to its citizens," and that "we need to communicate the political and economic costs of not enlarging the EU, too."
"Would including some minimum socio-economic threshold in future accession criteria, be realistic with respect to the current state of the Balkans?" asked Libor Roucek (PES, CZ) in response to a suggestion by Dr Lang.
"Europe stops wherever EU citizens decide that it ends - this is not a topographical question", said Vural Öger (PES, DE) in response to several questions about defining borders.
Serbia
Michael Gahler (EPP-ED, DE), said that "before every Serbian election in the past few years, the EU tries to conjure up something positive to help pro-European parties there." He wondered whether Serbian voters are really focused on Brussels, and asked whether the Interim Political Agreement offered to the Serbian government by the Commission a few months ago would be offered again.
Other MEPs sought assurances that the Commission would stand firm in demanding that Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic be arrested and handed over to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) before any further steps are taken towards Serbia's EU membership negotiations.
Commissioner Rehn replied that since the Serbian government had rejected the Interim Agreement, the "SAA is the only game in town." The EU will insist on "full cooperation with the ICTY," which means Serbia must do "everything in its power to find and arrest all remaining indictees", he said, adding, however, that one "should not underestimate Serbian cooperation in this field," as only 4 of 34 ICTY indictees remain at large in the Balkans.
On the political situation, Commissioner Rehn warned that the elections scheduled for 11 May offer Serbia a chance "either to turn towards its European future or to risk self-imposed isolation." He added that a choice for pro-European parties will "take it closer towards freedom, stability and prosperity," whereas "the other option is simply a road to nowhere."
Noting that the phrase "this is the Balkans" is often presented as an excuse or explanation, he declared "I've been there enough to know all the ethnic and other cleavages, and I don't underestimate them, but I refuse to surrender to them".
Enlargement fatigue?
Expert Kai Olaf Lang, of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, argued that in the near future, "the focus should be on the internal coherence of the EU", and on completing internal reforms before enlarging further. "The Lisbon treaty does not prepare the EU for upcoming enlargements, it is a belated response to the 2004 and 2007 enlargements", he said.
Expert Andres Kasekamp, of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, countered that "enlargement has been the most successful EU foreign policy," and that so-called "enlargement fatigue", in some Member States, is a bad argument for slowing the process. "Leaders are hiding behind a public opinion that they helped create," he claimed.
Dr Kasekamp argued that the solution was not to change the rules of the game, by adding new accession criteria or creating "new categories of limbo," but "to stick rigorously to the rules as they are. Problems only start when, for political reasons, criteria are lowered and exceptions made."
Absorption capacity
Elmar Brok (EPP-ED, DE), who is drafting an EP report on the Commission's 2007 enlargement strategy paper, said that this was "not an attempt to block any further accessions". The EU "needs to see its own limits" if it wants to remain an effective institution, he said, arguing that granting some special status short of enlargement to neighbouring countries would strengthen their European perspective, rather than blocking the possibility of their joining the Union later on.
"Talk about the EU's 'absorption capacity' turns a coffee-break into a philosophy", worried Bronislaw Geremek (ALDE, PL). Tunne Kelam (EPP-ED, ET) felt the draft report is a sign that "the EU has hit its mid-life crisis: it is a bit old, a bit tired, and growing more cautious", adding that "a philosophy of cautiousness, however, is something we need to avoid".
Doris Pack (EPP-ED, DE), by contrast, welcomed the tone of the draft report, saying that "we need to have a politics for today, or else our citizens will run away from us and the EU will fall apart." She added that for EU enlargement to be successful, the EU needs to be functional, and to have a "neighbourhood policy worthy of its name."
"New Member States' MEPs seem to see the success of the latest enlargement very differently from those of the old Member States, noted Gisela Kallenbach (Greens/EFA, DE), adding that "this shows a great problem in communication from the EU to its citizens," and that "we need to communicate the political and economic costs of not enlarging the EU, too."
"Would including some minimum socio-economic threshold in future accession criteria, be realistic with respect to the current state of the Balkans?" asked Libor Roucek (PES, CZ) in response to a suggestion by Dr Lang.
"Europe stops wherever EU citizens decide that it ends - this is not a topographical question", said Vural Öger (PES, DE) in response to several questions about defining borders.
Serbia
Michael Gahler (EPP-ED, DE), said that "before every Serbian election in the past few years, the EU tries to conjure up something positive to help pro-European parties there." He wondered whether Serbian voters are really focused on Brussels, and asked whether the Interim Political Agreement offered to the Serbian government by the Commission a few months ago would be offered again.
Other MEPs sought assurances that the Commission would stand firm in demanding that Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic be arrested and handed over to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) before any further steps are taken towards Serbia's EU membership negotiations.
Commissioner Rehn replied that since the Serbian government had rejected the Interim Agreement, the "SAA is the only game in town." The EU will insist on "full cooperation with the ICTY," which means Serbia must do "everything in its power to find and arrest all remaining indictees", he said, adding, however, that one "should not underestimate Serbian cooperation in this field," as only 4 of 34 ICTY indictees remain at large in the Balkans.
On the political situation, Commissioner Rehn warned that the elections scheduled for 11 May offer Serbia a chance "either to turn towards its European future or to risk self-imposed isolation." He added that a choice for pro-European parties will "take it closer towards freedom, stability and prosperity," whereas "the other option is simply a road to nowhere."
Turkey
EP rapporteur on Turkey Ria Oomen-Ruijten (EPP-ED, NL) voiced alarm at the activities of the 'deep state' in Turkey. "The army is trying to paralyze the work of the Turkish state, government and parliament," she said, wondering how this affected accession negotiations.
Vural Öger (PES, DE) asked why the Commission was making statements about the case brought against the ruling party (AKP) in Turkey, even though no legal decision had yet been reached.
Commissioner Rehn replied that the negotiating framework with Turkey lays down that it is "not only the right, but the duty" of the Commission to report on whether "Turkey is able to meet democratic standards." According to the 1999 guidelines from the Venice Commission, "the dissolution of political parties is an extreme measure, and only justified when parties advocate the use of violence or use violence themselves," which is not the case here."In EU Member States, these issues are decided by the ballot box, not in courtrooms," he added.
Vural Öger (PES, DE) asked why the Commission was making statements about the case brought against the ruling party (AKP) in Turkey, even though no legal decision had yet been reached.
Commissioner Rehn replied that the negotiating framework with Turkey lays down that it is "not only the right, but the duty" of the Commission to report on whether "Turkey is able to meet democratic standards." According to the 1999 guidelines from the Venice Commission, "the dissolution of political parties is an extreme measure, and only justified when parties advocate the use of violence or use violence themselves," which is not the case here."In EU Member States, these issues are decided by the ballot box, not in courtrooms," he added.
Serbian Parliament Speaker urges EU to sign SAA
Finally, Serbian Parliament Speaker Oliver Dulic visited the Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, a month before Serbia's 11 May elections,"to clearly underline our commitment to Serbia’s European future.” He stressed that “one of our key goals is to become a candidate for accession, and we know what it takes to get there”, adding that his party was “resolute not to enter into coalition with parties who do not share this goal”. Mr Dulic asked MEPs to press for the SAA to be signed with Serbia by the end of the month, so as to lend support to pro-European forces in the elections.
Committee Chairman Saryusz-Wolski noted that coming EU Security and Defence Policy mission to Kosovo was “the largest ESDP mission launched by the EU so far, in order to protect both Kosovar and Serbian populations.” Ms Pack added that “the mission in Kosovo is not against Serbia, it is for the Serbs in Kosovo.”
Asked by EP rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin (ALDE, SI) about the evolution of a multi-ethnic, multicultural society in Serbia, Mr Dulic observed that the facts that he is not a Serb, and that the minister in charge of ICTY cooperation is a Bosniak, are promising signs that the “country is slowly passing through the process of healing our post-conflict society.”
Mr Brok backed Mr Dulic’s request for a swift signing of the SAA, noting that the criterion of full co-operation with the ICTY, while an important condition for accession negotiations, was never a precondition for Croatia’s signing of its SAA, and Serbia should not be treated any differently.
01/04/2008
Committee on Foreign Affairs
In the chair : Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (EPP-ED, PL)
In the chair : Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (EPP-ED, PL)
REF.: 20080403IPR25654