Proposition 53K2575

Projet de loi portant assentiment au Traité entre le Royaume de Belgique, la République de Bulgarie, la République tchèque, le Royaume de Danemark, la République fédérale d'Allemagne, la République d'Estonie, l'Irlande, la République hellénique, le Royaume d'Espagne, la République française, la République italienne, la République de Chypre, la République de Lettonie, la République de Lituanie, le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, la République de Hongrie, la République de Malte, le Royaume des Pays-Bas, la République d'Autriche, la République de Pologne, la République portugaise, la Roumanie, la République de Slovénie, la République slovaque, la République de Finlande, le Royaume de Suède et le Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande du Nord (Etats membres de l'Union européenne) et la République de Croatie relatif à l'adhésion de la République de Croatie à l'Union européenne, et à l'Acte final, faits à Bruxelles le 9 décembre 2011.

General information ¶

Submitted by

The Senate

Submission date

Nov. 14, 2012

Official page

Visit

Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

European Union Croatia EU Accession Treaty international agreement accession to the European Union enlargement of the Union

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

Groen CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP Open Vld N-VA LDD MR VB

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

Jan. 24, 2013 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

With your gracious consent and with the understanding of my colleagues, I would like to refer to the written report.

In addition, I would like to make a brief presentation.

The size of Croatia is not excessive with its 56 594 km2, about twice the size of our dear homeland and only 1.31 % of the EEG area. It has 4 290 000 inhabitants. That is less than 1% of our European population. That is not why I want to speak.

Important is the philosophy behind the long negotiations with Croatia. This is the sixth enlargement of the European Union. In the previous waves of expansion in 2004, 2007, and even in 1995, the Copenhagen criteria were the test stone. We have learnt a lot from this and developed additional conditions: stable institutions that guarantee democracy, a rule of law, respect for human rights, respect and protection of minorities, a viable economy with the ability to exercise and endure competition and market forces in our European Union and fulfill the accession obligations for political, economic and monetary cooperation.

We took time for this. What is striking about the accession of Croatia to our European Union is that the process has been monitored very closely and continuously.

It is therefore important that a number of chapters have been thoroughly explained. For example, there is Chapter 23, Justice and Fundamental Rights, to make the necessary reforms in such as impartial treatment of war crimes and the fight against corruption hard and realistic. Chapter 24, Justice, Freedom and Security, aims to stabilise the external borders, strengthen police cooperation, combat organized crime and promote legal cooperation. Chapter 8 covers competition in two areas: shipbuilding, subsidised in those countries, and the steel sector.

Remarkable in this accession is not only the thorough, consistent pre-translation or monitoring of Croatia’s accession, but also the continuous monitoring. Even after the accession of Croatia, action may be taken if the basic conditions for accession are not or not sufficiently applied.

As far as I know, this is the first time that the monitoring system is linked to Schengen. We have been quite questionable with the Schengen accession. This time we want to know clearly whether we will follow the reports of the European Commission so that Croatia complies with and will continue to comply with the Schengen acquis regarding commitments and negotiations.

There were three key points in that long six-year negotiation process.

First, the point concerning the Yugoslav Tribunal was not simple. I have visited Croatia several times. It is a nationalistic country. This is also the case in other European countries or parts of them. This must be considered objectively. The international institutions must be respected by that country as a whole.

There is the return of the refugees from the war 1992-1995. When we talk about wars, we talk about 1939-1945. We are talking about 1992-1995, which is not so long ago.

The cooperation with another country, Slovenia, which, in my conviction, has joined the European Union too early, under the pressure of our German friends, is also regulated. The territorial disputes between Slovenia, which is also a beautiful country, and side by side Austria and Croatia have now come into a procedure of resolution by international arbitration.

Of course, there is also the non-misleading government aid to the steel sector, including in shipbuilding.

For the rest, we have established the formula of 2-3-2, which means that the country gets access to our labour market in the same way as other countries, in particular two years not and three years extension if problems arise. Mrs De Coninck, if there are further problems with the importation of labour force thereafter, is motivated to provide for a second or a third series of two years.

We support the accession of Croatia to our European Union. This will ⁇ stabilize the Balkans. The Balkans have always been difficult to stabilize. The accession will also strengthen human rights and the fight against corruption, which is not so far from our geographical past.

Mr. Minister, I wanted to give my presentation, because it is important that a twenty-eighth state comes to complete our European Union, although more and more the question can be asked whether we should always think in the direction of the enlargement or the extension of the area and population of the European Union, or whether we should focus our eyes much more to deepen, which is to the structural resilience of the European Union.

We will support the present bill positively.

I thank you for your attention.

I would like to thank Mr De Croo for his intervention. I would like to make three comments.

First, we expect a new progress report from the European Commission on Croatia by April 2013. We will verify the correct implementation of all commitments by Croatia. Last Monday there was a meeting of the General Affairs Council, including on Croatia, but first we need to make sure that all the recommendations of the European Commission are implemented correctly.

Second, there are also other expansion possibilities. We have been in contact with all candidate countries. The same reasoning applies to them. We will evaluate them case by case. It cannot be a general evaluation.

For example, in the first half of 2013, we should be able to open a new chapter in the negotiations with Turkey. We believe it is important that, after five Presidencies without renewed consultation with Turkey, something happens. I have asked my colleagues to take the initiative in the negotiations with Turkey.

Third, it is not sufficient to follow a candidate Member State until its accession is approved. Furthermore, it is important that the requirements of the Maastricht Treaty are verified by the European Commission. It is also very important that the political requirements are also met.

I will give an example. A few months ago, we asked the European Commission to examine the political situation in Hungary. I think it is our task to monitor not only the socio-economic situation, but also the political situation, even after the accession of a country. It is important that the Member States are on the same line.

I would like to thank the members of the committee and the various political groups in any case for their cooperation with the possible approval.

Le Président: Somebody asks-t-il yet the word? (No to)

Does anyone ask for the word? (Not to)

The general discussion is closed.

The general discussion is closed.

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