Matt Brennan
Ceist:33 Mr. M. Brennan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government agrees with Prime Minister Gonzales that there is, as yet, no strategy for enlargement. [18584/95]
Written Answers - Expansion of the EU.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:52 Mr. Deasy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the policy, if any, Ireland has regarding the expansion of the European Union; the financial implications, if any, of such an expansion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2403/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 52 together.
The remark ascribed to the Spanish Prime Minister and to which Deputy Brennan refers pre-dates the Madrid meeting of the European Council on 15 and 16 December last. The Deputy will be aware that important decisions were taken at Madrid in relation to future enlargement.
In the first place, the Commission is to expedite preparation of its opinions on membership applications so that they can be forwarded to the Council as soon as possible after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference. The Commission was also requested to prepare a composite paper on enlargement. This procedure will ensure that the applicant countries are treated on an equal basis.
Second, the Commission is to submit, immediately after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference, a communication on the future financial framework of the Union as from the year 2000, having regard to the prospect of enlargement. The Commission is also to take its evaluation of the effects of enlargement on Community policies further, particularly with regard to agricultural and structural policies.
Third, the Council will, at the earliest opportunity following the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference, and taking into account the Commission opinions and reports which I have mentioned, take the necessary decisions for launching the accession negotiations with the Associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The Madrid European Council expressed the hope that the preliminary stage of these negotiations will coincide with the start of negotiations with Cyprus and Malta which are due to commence six months after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference, taking into account its outcome.
The decisions taken at Madrid represent important progress in preparing for enlargement. Together with the pre-accession strategy approved by the earlier European Council meeting in Essen which is now in place, these decisions help to chart a steady course towards an enlarged European Union.
There are currently 12 applications for membership of the European Union on the table. These are from Cyprus, Malta, Hungary, Poland, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Bulgaria, Romania. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Turkey.
Ireland's general attitude to the question of enlargement of the Union as expressed in the conclusions of successive meetings of the European Council is open and positive. As noted by the European Council meeting in Madrid. enlargement of the Union is both a political necessity and an historic opportunity for Europe. We believe that enlargement is necessary in order to consolidate peace and stability in Europe. We also believe that enlargement can bring greater prosperity to existing and prospective member states, by increasing trade and investment opportunities, provided the overall conditions are right.
We recognise that the issues raised by future enlargement are significantly different from those raised by previous enlargement rounds both because of the nature of the challenges facing the countries concerned and the changes which the Union itself will have to undergo in order to maintain the process of European integration. It will be important to ensure that future enlargement does not compromise the essential interests and effectiveness of the Union or in any way dilute or threaten its achievements over so many policy areas of vital importance to its member states. Ireland is committed to maintaining the Union's character as enlargement proceeds and to maintaining economic and social cohesion within the EU.
Clearly, the further enlargement of the Union will offer both opportunities and challenges as far as Ireland is concerned. In particular, the accession of countries which are less developed than our own poses important questions, especially as regards the future of the CAP and the Union's cohesion policies.
Last year, the European Commission produced two studies on enlargement. The first addressed the effects of enlargement in the context of the Union's present policies and of their future development. The second document was a study on the means of developing relations in the field of agriculture between the Union and the Associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Neither document contains proposals — they are discussion documents only and represent starting points for in-depth examination by the Union and its member states of the impact of enlargement. It will be recalled that the Commission's studies, and in particular its agriculture strategy paper, were debated in this House last December. For its part, the European Council meeting in Madrid, as I have already mentioned, called on the Commission to take its evaluation of the effects on enlargement on Community policies further, particularly with regard to agricultural and structural policies.
As regards the financial implications of enlargement, the House will be aware that the Edinburgh European Council adopted the budgetary framework for the Union's finances up to 1999. Analysis of the situation after 1999 can have at this stage an indicative character only, given the many uncertainties associated with this process. However I would recall a point made by my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Deputy Yates, in this House on 5 December in the course of a debate on the future enlargement of the Union, that agreement will need to be reached by the existing member states of the Union, in advance of enlargement, on the provision of the financial resources necessary for the continued implementation of EU policies in the existing member states as well as in the new member states. Since then, the Commission has been requested by the Madrid European Council to undertake a detailed analysis as soon as possible of the Union's financing system in order to submit, immediately after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference, a communication on the future financial framework of the Union as from the end of 1999 having regard to the proposed enlargement.