Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 January 2018
60. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which candidate countries seeking to join the EU continue to adhere to the aquis communautaire; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3908/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra62. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the EU continues to support and encourage democracy in the western Balkans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3910/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 62 together.
Ireland is a strong supporter of the EU’s policy on enlargement. It is a key driver for stability, security and prosperity in the Western Balkans. We believe that aspirant countries must be judged on the principle of ‘own merits’ and that those wishing to join the Union must give the rule of law, justice and fundamental rights the utmost priority in terms of reform.
Countries wishing to become Member States of the European Union must comply with the acquis communautaire. The acquis is the body of common rights and obligations that is binding on all the EU member states. It is constantly evolving and comprises:
the content, principles and political objectives of the Treaties;
legislation adopted pursuant to the Treaties and the case law of the Court of Justice;
declarations and resolutions adopted by the Union;
instruments under the Common Foreign and Security Policy;
international agreements concluded by the Union and those entered into by the member states among themselves within the sphere of the Union's activities.
Candidate countries have to accept the acquis before they can join the EU and make EU law part of their own national legislation. Adoption and implementation of the acquis are the basis of the accession negotiations.
When a candidate moves into formal membership negotiations, the process involves the adoption of established EU law, preparations to be in a position to properly apply and enforce it and implementation of judicial, administrative, economic and other reforms necessary for the country to meet the conditions for joining, known as the accession criteria.
When the negotiations and accompanying reforms have been completed to the satisfaction of both sides, the country can then join the EU.
There are currently three countries with which the EU has opened formal negotiations: Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey.
Thirty chapters (out of a total of 35) have been opened with Montenegro of which three chapters have already been provisionally closed.
Twelve of the 35 chapters have been opened with Serbia and two of these have been provisionally closed.
Sixteen chapters have been opened with Turkey and one is provisionally closed.
With respect to the EU’s support for democracy in the Western Balkans, this is covered by Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and Chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security). Both of these chapters have been opened with Serbia and Montenegro but have not been provisionally closed yet.
The EU promotes democratic values in all of its engagement with the Western Balkans, including through the provision of pre-accession funding, by facilitating the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and in its intense engagement with the candidate countries which have a ‘European Perspective’ but which have not yet opened formal negotiations, namely Albania and Macedonia, as well as the potential candidate countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.
The European Commission is due to present its Strategy for the Western Balkan Countries in early February 2018 and is scheduled to publish country reports in April. These reports will assess the ‘state of play’ in individual candidate countries.
