Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 2

Written Answers. - Concerns of Slovak Officials.

Kathleen Lynch

Ceist:

53 Kathleen Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by senior Slovak officials to the effect that the EU may be adopting a two-tier approach to the new European democracies with regard to potential applicants for EU membership; if his attention has further been drawn to the concerns that the Slovakian economic reforms demanded by the EU prior to membership may militate against social and economic stability in Slovakia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11253/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The European Council meeting in Copenhagen in June 1993 agreed that the associated countries in Central and Eastern Europe that so desire shall become members of the European Union and stated that accession would take place as soon as an associated country is able to assume the obligations of membership by satisfying the economic and political conditions required.

Membership requires that the candidate country has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities, the existence of a functioning market economy as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union. Membership presupposes the candidate's ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.

These pre-conditions for membership of the Union apply equally to all associated countries in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Slovak Republic.

The European Council meeting in Essen in December 1994 decided a comprehensive strategy for preparing the associated countries in Central and Eastern Europe for accession to the European Union. The strategy is tailored to the needs of the associated countries, including the Slovak Republic, and its goal is to provide a route plan for the associated countries as they prepare for accession. The strategy's core element is the preparation of the associated countries for integration into the EU's internal market, through the phased adoption of the Union's internal market acquis, with flanking policies to promote integration by means of financial assistance, dialogue and co-operation in a wide range of issues. The Slovak Republic, in common with the other associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe, participates in the pre-accession strategy.

The even-handedness of the European Union with regard to the application for membership submitted by the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe is also clear from decisions taken by the European Council meeting in Madrid last December. On that occasion, the European Council asked the Commission to expedite preparation of its opinions on the applications made so that they can be forwarded to the Council as soon as possible after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference, and to embark upon preparation of a composite paper on enlargement. The conclusions of the Madrid European Council explicitly noted that this procedure will ensure that the applicant countries are treated on an equal basis.

At the bilateral level, the Europe Agreement in force between the EU and the Slovak Republic is the basic framework for the Union's contractual relations with that country. Like the Europe Agreements with the other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the agreement with the Slovak Republic is very wide-ranging and contains a clause recognising that the Slovak Republic's objective is membership of the Union.

The second meeting of the EU-Slovak Association Council, established under the terms of the Europe Agreement, took place in February 1996. The Association Council, which comprises representatives of the Union and its member states and of the Slovak Republic, welcomed the Slovak Republic's application for membership made last year. The Union reiterated its commitment to assist Slovakia, as well as the other associated countries, in meeting the criteria for EU membership as set out by the Copenhagen European Council. The Association Council was encouraged by the positive macroeconomic developments in the Slovak Republic given that control of inflation, unemployment and the public deficit, as well as the development of a sound financial sector, are crucial in the preparation for EU membership.