Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 1

Written Answers. - Agenda 2000.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

45 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government supports the EU Commission's narrow approach to opening enlargement discussions or the broader approach favoured by some EU Governments of opening talks with all applicants in 1998 while accepting that these talks will progress at different speeds. [22369/97]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

The Luxembourg European Council, meeting this weekend, is to take the necessary decisions with regard to the management of the next phase of the enlargement process, including with which countries the Union should open accession negotiations early next year. As I indicated in my reply to a question from the Deputy on 4 November, we consider that the Commission's proposals in its Agenda 2000 communication, together with its opinions on the applicants for accession to the Union, are generally well-constructed, are balanced, and provide a suitable framework for the conduct of the enlargement process and an objective basis for the opening of accession negotiations. We are also concerned to ensure that the arrangements for the management of the enlargement process to be decided at Luxembourg should reflect the key principle of inclusiveness. The Amsterdam European Council confirmed that enlargement is an inclusive process, embracing all the applicant countries.

Therefore, it is important that the decisions to be taken at Luxembourg should maintain equality of treatment between the applicants, in accordance with the criteria laid down by the Copenhagen European Council, and should sustain the momentum towards accession on the part of all applicants. In this regard, we are pleased that the Commission has not closed the door in the face of any country. The possiblity of participating in accession negotiations, at the early stage, has been left open to those countries which did not receive a positive recommendation from the Commission, as soon as their performance warrants it. The Commission has also brought forward detailed proposals for a reinforcement of the pre-accession strategy to assist the associated states in preparing for membership. These proposals have been discussed by Ministers and will also be decided upon at Luxembourg. The key feature of the reinforced pre-accession strategy will be a new instrument, the Accession Partnerships, which will mobilise all forms of assistance to the applicant countries in central and eastern Europe to support their efforts to accede to the Union. The Accession Partnerships will be elaborated on the same basis with all applicants and with the same objective. Finally the proposed European Conference is intended to bring together member states, candidates for accession and also Turkey. We consider that the arrangements for the next phase of the enlargement process, taken together, and as elaborated on by Council, provide the essential framework in which all applicants can participate fully on an inclusive basis.