Enlargement process also requires commitment from aspirants

09.11.2016 12:01

Enlargement process also requires commitment from aspirants

The EPP Group has welcomed the progress made by the candidate and potential candidates for EU membership in reforming their societies towards the European path, but recalled that the enlargement process also requires long-lasting commitment on their side. Following today's presentation by the European Commission of the 2016 Enlargement Package, Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP Group responsible for Neighbourhood Policy and Euronest, Sandra Kalniete MEP, and the EPP Group Spokesman for Foreign Affairs, Cristian Preda MEP, encouraged aspirants to EU membership to deliver better on their commitments, especially the observation of the rule of law.

“After the Brexit decision, it is vitally important for the EU to reaffirm its commitment to those who wish to progress towards EU membership. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s application for membership in February 2016 is a positive indication that the enlargement process is alive”, said Kalniete.

“However, EU enlargement is and will be a long-lasting process requiring strong political commitment by the candidates and their ability to establish good neighbourly relations and to enhance regional cooperation instead of merely competing with each other”, she insisted.

“As the case of Turkey has shown us, rule of law issues continue to be a persistent challenge and we need adequate tools to respond to these challenges and be tough when European values are put into question", said Cristian Preda.

Preda also welcomed the changes to the methodology proposed in this year’s Enlargement Package for future enlargement processes and stressed the need for proper democratic oversight: "The EPP Group supports further refinement and recalibrating of the methodology for enlargement that will enable us to better assess evolutions in candidate and potential candidate countries. At the same time, we must imagine a form of enhanced dialogue with the European Parliament next year, in the absence of the annual European Commission’s reports, in order to ensure proper parliamentary oversight of the European integration of these countries”, he concluded.

Note to editors

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 216 Members from 27 Member States

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