The EU and Member States must clear hurdles in the accession process when countries show a clear commitment to reforms, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee says.
The Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi presented the 2021 Enlargement package to the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) on Tuesday, assessing the state of play of the accession process and EU-related reforms in the seven countries wishing to join the EU.
Intergovernmental conferences with Albania and North Macedonia before the end of 2021
“We are convinced that Western Balkans is part of the same Europe and therefore of the EU”, said commissioner Várhelyi presenting the package to the MEPs immediately after its adoption by the College of the Commissioners. According to the Commissioner, the EU has clearly demonstrated its political commitment to the EU’s accession process for the Western Balkans. Furthermore, he stressed that this reflected in a number of actions, from continued support for the COVID-19 response to a significant funding pledge under the Economic and Investment Plan. Saying delays to starting accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia have had a negative impact on the process, the commissioner announced that the first intergovernmental conferences with the two countries should take place before the end of 2021.
MEPs expressed support for Albania and North Macedonia in their efforts to start accession talks as soon as possible. They also pointed out that requirements needed for the implementation of the visa free regime with Kosovo have been fulfilled.
MEPs insist on democracy, rule of law and reconciliation
Some MEPs questioned how serious some aspiring countries are in their intentions to have closer ties with the EU and if they might have some other agenda. Several expresed doubts about the Open Balkans initiative and wanted to hear from the commissioner what he thought about it.
MEPs also asked about the threat of an independence declaration made by the president of Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They expressed particular concern about the security and geopolitical challenges the Serbia-Kosovo conflict represents for the EU.
Regarding Turkey, MEPs insisted on the respect of the rule of law and fundamental rights, particularly on womens’ rights.
The Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee David McAllister (EPP, DE) said: “As we enter a critical juncture for the future of the EU and its enlargement, it is ever more important to focus on the consolidation of democracy, rule of law and reconciliation. In addition to mobilising targeted and conditional investments under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA III), the EU and its Member States must clear the hurdles precluding us from switching gears in the accession process for countries that show a clear commitment to reforms”.
Background
The Committee´s standing rapporteurs will prepare the European Parliament’s positions on the EU-related reforms in the seven enlargement countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey) and will continue scrutiny of the IPA III Regulation, governing the pre-accession assistance until 2027.
The IPA is the main funding tool used by the EU to support reforms in the ‘enlargement countries’.
Further information
- Video recording of the meeting, 19.10.2021
- European Commission: European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations
- EP Press release on IPA III: 14.2 billion euro to help accession countries implementing EU-related reforms, 15.09.2021
- EP Multimedia Centre: EU Enlargement – Western Balkans
- EP Multimedia Centre: EU – Turkey