The 2005 European calendar

The
16-17 December European Council of Brussels showed that the new
member states intend to participate fully in all the European
debates. MINEFI-DREE’s latest issue of Revue
Elargissement sums up their positions on future EU enlargement and
the new financial framework (2007-2013), two major European issues
for 2005.

Further enlargements: 2005 will be a decisive year in this
respect. The NMS are generally in favour of pursuing the
enlargement process. 

Bulgaria and Romania: the Treaty of Accession
should be signed during the session of the “general affairs”
council in April 2005, subject to the assent of the European
Parliament, the actual accession being planned for January 2007.
The great efforts that Romania must still make in the fields of
“justice and internal affairs”, “competition” and “environment”
were underlined by the European Council of Brussels, whereas
Bulgaria was not subject to the same injunctions. All the NMs
support the fast entry of these two “brother” states into the
Union.

Croatia: the accession negotiations should
begin on 17th March 2005, provided Croatia fully cooperates with
the International Criminal Court of the Hague. Most observers think
that this condition will be met. Croatia has the support of all the
NMS, even that of Slovenia, with which it has some bilateral
disputes.

Turkey: subject to an agreement of the Council
on the “framework for negotiation”, Turkey’s accession negotiations
should commence on 3rd October 2005. Before the actual negotiations
begin, Turkey has committed itself to signing the protocol on the
adaptation of the Ankara Agreement (a free trade agreement between
the EU and Turkey, which has to be extended to the 10 NMS,
including Cyprus), to the “present composition of the European
Union”. Turkey must also have passed six specific laws. The
framework for negotiations will have to include specific provisions
for transition periods, safeguard clauses, etc. In any case,
according to the Council, Turkey’s accession negotiations “can only
be concluded after the setting up of the Financial Framework for
the period beginning 2014”. The Republic of Cyprus is the only
country among the NMS which has major difficulties with the idea of
Turkey’s accession to the European Union

The Union’s financial framework for the period
2007-2013: the European Council’s conclusions reflect the
difficulties of the current negotiation. In concrete terms, the
Council has maintained the ceiling for European resources at its
current level of 1.24% of the GNI of the enlarged Union and
retained the “aim of reaching a political agreement by June 2005”.
Most observers doubt that this deadline will be met. As regards the
financial framework, above all, the NMS want the level of
expenditure for regional policy, provided for in the Commission’s
proposal, to be confirmed. Some of them disagree with regional
spending in each country being capped at 4% of GDP. All the NMS ask
for the removal of the British rebate and the majority is hostile
to the correcting mechanism of the net contributions. 

By Olivier LOUIS

For more analyses, visit the DREE website.