Accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU - a debate in the Bundestag
Views on BG | October 18, 2006, WednesdaySpeech of Olli Rehn to the EU Committee of the German Bundestag*
Honourable Chairman, honourable members,
It is with great pleasure that I accepted your invitation to address the meeting of your Committee. I will use this opportunity to inform you and discuss with you on matters related to enlargement, in particular the September report of the Commission on Bulgaria and Romania.
Three weeks ago, the Commission issued its report on the Bulgarian and Romanian accessions. The Commission concluded that as a result of the progress made, Bulgaria and Romania will be in a position to take on the rights and obligations of EU membership on 1 January 2007.
This is a historic achievement by Bulgaria and Romania. The key to their success was a combination of their own efforts with the strong encouragement and support of the Union, not least of the German Bundestag. Their accession will mark the end of the fifth enlargement, which was triggered by the re-unification of Germany in 1990.
Our report contains two main messages. First, Bulgaria and Romania made sufficient progress in their preparations for EU Membership. A critical mass of preparations has been achieved. Bulgaria and Romania will not put at risk the EU's core policies and its regulatory framework.
Secondly, we have sufficient tools to address specific problems, which may arise after accession.
Over the past two years in particular, Bulgaria and Romania have responded strongly to our system of conditionality, which has been even more rigorous than the one applied in the past. This has resulted in a remarkable transformation, with reforms in several sectors peaking over the past 3-4 months. The strategy, which we discussed here during my previous visit on 31 May, has worked well.
At the same time, in a limited number of areas, though important progress has been made, we need to see further progress in the months leading up to accession - and beyond. Consequently, the report also spells out accompanying measures, provided for by the EU legislation and the Accession Treaty, which the Commission will initiate upon accession, unless the remaining problems have been remedied.
President Barroso and I visited both countries immediately after the publication of the report. The objective of our visits was to congratulate Bulgaria and Romania with the progress made, and, in particular, to ensure work would continue in both countries. Both countries have well understood this message. As President Barroso indicated, they celebrated the confirmation of 2007 as date of accession one day, and went back to work on further progress the next day.
The report identifies accompanying measures for the accession of Bulgaria and Romania. These cover food safety, agricultural funds, aviation safety and judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organised crime.
In the September report, the Commission established a mechanism for cooperation and verification of progress in the areas of judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organised crime. This is a new mechanism which enables the Commission, for the first time, to keep a close eye after accession on developments in these important areas.
The Commission has identified benchmarks for Bulgaria and for Romania which the countries need to fulfil in the areas of judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organised crime.
The Commission is now preparing a Decision establishing the details of this cooperation and verification mechanism for these areas. This will be adopted before the end of 2006. It will allow the Commission to be thoroughly informed about the further reforms and actions in these important areas.
The Commission will advice the countries on the basis of information from a broad array of sources, including the valuable contributions from Member States' experts.
Both countries are requested to submit reports on their progress in these areas end March 2007. The Commission will issue a first report on this mechanism to the European Parliament and the Council in June 2007. The Commission will apply the appropriate safeguard measures in case one of the countries does not adequately fulfil the benchmarks. These measures are based on the Accession Treaty.
Together with the report, the Commission adopted a Regulation enabling it to withhold 25 % of the agricultural funds for direct payments in case the proper administrative and control systems are not fully operational. The Commission continues its close monitoring in this area and has now created the right incentives to encourage substantial progress.
In the field of food safety, the Commission can, if necessary, decide on specific measures, in December, taking into account the latest developments in the areas where problems exist.
Like for any other Member State, the Commission can, upon its own initiative or upon request form a Member State, decide to restrict the sale of certain products on the internal market in case it cannot be assured these products meet the high level EU standards. This ensures that the current problems with animal diseases (classical swine fever) in Bulgaria and Romania can be adequately addressed.
In addition, the Commission will update the list of Bulgarian and Romanian food processing establishments which do not yet meet the EU standards and are therefore not yet allowed to sell products outside Bulgaria or Romania.
In the field of aviation safety, the Bulgarian government understood the warning of the September report well. It is working swiftly to address the shortcomings identified by the European Aviation Safety Agency EASA. EASA will closely monitor the situation and make a new assessment early December. If the situation has not sufficiently improved, the Member States can take measures.
In case any problem arises in any other area, the Commission can take measures based on the EU legislation or based on the safeguard measures of the Accession Treaty. The measures based on the Accession Treaty can be invoked up to three years after accession. Any measures actually invoked may remain in place until the underlying problems are solved, even if this is beyond the period of three years.
With the above provisions, I am confident that Bulgaria and Romania will enrich the Union without compromising the proper functioning of EU policies and institutions. The interests of the EU and its citizens can be assured and EU taxpayers' money protected.
Honourable members,
The last phase of the fifth enlargement is a carefully prepared process. Since the early nineties, the Union has started to support the reform efforts of both Bulgaria and Romania. Following their application for Membership in 1995, the Union enhanced its pre-accession support. Accession negotiations started in 2000 and were closed in 2004. Since then, the Commission intensified its monitoring.
In addition, the Accession Treaty provides several safeguard measures. The result of this is that we can welcome two new Member States of the European Union on 1 January 2007. This is in line with the 2004 conclusions of the Council, which declared that Bulgaria and Romania would join the EU in 2007 if they were ready.
I am confident that we can count on your full support for this important step for the European project.
* The speech was pubslished as abridged.
Honourable Chairman, honourable members,
It is with great pleasure that I accepted your invitation to address the meeting of your Committee. I will use this opportunity to inform you and discuss with you on matters related to enlargement, in particular the September report of the Commission on Bulgaria and Romania.
Three weeks ago, the Commission issued its report on the Bulgarian and Romanian accessions. The Commission concluded that as a result of the progress made, Bulgaria and Romania will be in a position to take on the rights and obligations of EU membership on 1 January 2007.
This is a historic achievement by Bulgaria and Romania. The key to their success was a combination of their own efforts with the strong encouragement and support of the Union, not least of the German Bundestag. Their accession will mark the end of the fifth enlargement, which was triggered by the re-unification of Germany in 1990.
Our report contains two main messages. First, Bulgaria and Romania made sufficient progress in their preparations for EU Membership. A critical mass of preparations has been achieved. Bulgaria and Romania will not put at risk the EU's core policies and its regulatory framework.
Secondly, we have sufficient tools to address specific problems, which may arise after accession.
Over the past two years in particular, Bulgaria and Romania have responded strongly to our system of conditionality, which has been even more rigorous than the one applied in the past. This has resulted in a remarkable transformation, with reforms in several sectors peaking over the past 3-4 months. The strategy, which we discussed here during my previous visit on 31 May, has worked well.
At the same time, in a limited number of areas, though important progress has been made, we need to see further progress in the months leading up to accession - and beyond. Consequently, the report also spells out accompanying measures, provided for by the EU legislation and the Accession Treaty, which the Commission will initiate upon accession, unless the remaining problems have been remedied.
President Barroso and I visited both countries immediately after the publication of the report. The objective of our visits was to congratulate Bulgaria and Romania with the progress made, and, in particular, to ensure work would continue in both countries. Both countries have well understood this message. As President Barroso indicated, they celebrated the confirmation of 2007 as date of accession one day, and went back to work on further progress the next day.
The report identifies accompanying measures for the accession of Bulgaria and Romania. These cover food safety, agricultural funds, aviation safety and judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organised crime.
In the September report, the Commission established a mechanism for cooperation and verification of progress in the areas of judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organised crime. This is a new mechanism which enables the Commission, for the first time, to keep a close eye after accession on developments in these important areas.
The Commission has identified benchmarks for Bulgaria and for Romania which the countries need to fulfil in the areas of judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organised crime.
The Commission is now preparing a Decision establishing the details of this cooperation and verification mechanism for these areas. This will be adopted before the end of 2006. It will allow the Commission to be thoroughly informed about the further reforms and actions in these important areas.
The Commission will advice the countries on the basis of information from a broad array of sources, including the valuable contributions from Member States' experts.
Both countries are requested to submit reports on their progress in these areas end March 2007. The Commission will issue a first report on this mechanism to the European Parliament and the Council in June 2007. The Commission will apply the appropriate safeguard measures in case one of the countries does not adequately fulfil the benchmarks. These measures are based on the Accession Treaty.
Together with the report, the Commission adopted a Regulation enabling it to withhold 25 % of the agricultural funds for direct payments in case the proper administrative and control systems are not fully operational. The Commission continues its close monitoring in this area and has now created the right incentives to encourage substantial progress.
In the field of food safety, the Commission can, if necessary, decide on specific measures, in December, taking into account the latest developments in the areas where problems exist.
Like for any other Member State, the Commission can, upon its own initiative or upon request form a Member State, decide to restrict the sale of certain products on the internal market in case it cannot be assured these products meet the high level EU standards. This ensures that the current problems with animal diseases (classical swine fever) in Bulgaria and Romania can be adequately addressed.
In addition, the Commission will update the list of Bulgarian and Romanian food processing establishments which do not yet meet the EU standards and are therefore not yet allowed to sell products outside Bulgaria or Romania.
In the field of aviation safety, the Bulgarian government understood the warning of the September report well. It is working swiftly to address the shortcomings identified by the European Aviation Safety Agency EASA. EASA will closely monitor the situation and make a new assessment early December. If the situation has not sufficiently improved, the Member States can take measures.
In case any problem arises in any other area, the Commission can take measures based on the EU legislation or based on the safeguard measures of the Accession Treaty. The measures based on the Accession Treaty can be invoked up to three years after accession. Any measures actually invoked may remain in place until the underlying problems are solved, even if this is beyond the period of three years.
With the above provisions, I am confident that Bulgaria and Romania will enrich the Union without compromising the proper functioning of EU policies and institutions. The interests of the EU and its citizens can be assured and EU taxpayers' money protected.
Honourable members,
The last phase of the fifth enlargement is a carefully prepared process. Since the early nineties, the Union has started to support the reform efforts of both Bulgaria and Romania. Following their application for Membership in 1995, the Union enhanced its pre-accession support. Accession negotiations started in 2000 and were closed in 2004. Since then, the Commission intensified its monitoring.
In addition, the Accession Treaty provides several safeguard measures. The result of this is that we can welcome two new Member States of the European Union on 1 January 2007. This is in line with the 2004 conclusions of the Council, which declared that Bulgaria and Romania would join the EU in 2007 if they were ready.
I am confident that we can count on your full support for this important step for the European project.
* The speech was pubslished as abridged.
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