1 / 12

Enlargement Process

Enlargement Process. MGSC Luxemburg 16-17 March 2017. Fundamentals are here to stay. Enlargement perspective is maintained The 3 fundamentals of Enlargement policy remain key for policy action : Rue of Law, Public Administration Reform and Economic Governance

holmeslinda
Download Presentation

Enlargement Process

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Enlargement Process • MGSC Luxemburg • 16-17 March 2017

  2. Fundamentals are here to stay • Enlargement perspective is maintained • The 3 fundamentals of Enlargement policy remain key for policy action : Rue of Law, Public Administration Reform and Economic Governance • Eurostat is an important partner for economic governance • Enlargement is an element of EC external action (EU as a global actor) • Country reports move to spring cycle (in sync with Economic Reform Programs). Next in spring 2018 (no report in 2017) • New methodology (re-calibration) is extended further to all chapters

  3. Regional developments WB6 • Summit in Trieste/Italy on 12 July with all heads of government of WB6 • Series of yearly meetings (so-called Berlin process) • Substantial decisions on connectivity (annual investment of €150 Mio) • Positive agenda for youth (and regional youth co-operation office in Tirana) • Roadmap for a common regional market

  4. Overview by country

  5. Turkey • Engagement with Turkey has never been so complicated • 16 April 2017 constitutional referendum on introduction of presidential system. • Opinion of the Venice Commission on reform very critical. Statement of Commissioners Hahn/Mogherini to this end • EU tries to keep the dialogue ongoing • Joint EU-Turkey efforts on migration continue to deliver results (average of 82 daily arrivals as from February 2016) • Refugee facility up and running (of 3 billion € for 2016/17 2,2 billion are allocated, 748 m € disbursed) • EU-Turkey Customs Union shall be upgraded. Discussions to this end are ongoing in the Council. The benefit of an upgraded customs union would be mostly on the side of Turkey (= leverage)

  6. Montenegro • Most advanced country in terms of accession negotiations • 26 chapters opened (as statistics) • 2 closed • Timing of next accession conference will depend on course of negotiations in the Council • Commission considers that there is an overall balance between progress on rule of law and progress in other chapters • NATO integration on track

  7. Serbia • Screening report on chapter 18 adopted and chapter opened on 27 February • Country position of Serbia now to follow • Compliant proposal on NUTS nomenclature for Serbia remains key for further progress in chapter 18 • Serbia is lobbying to open as many chapter as possible in 2017. Currently 8 opened. • EU expects Serbia to stick to its commitments and strategic goals (normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, EU-membership)

  8. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia • Candidate Country since 2005 • Since 2015 Commission has renewed its conditional recommendation depending on the implementation of the political agreement and urgent reform priorities • Bilateral issue regarding name ongoing • Following the early parliamentary elections in December 2016 the Government is not yet established. Its formation is a challenge. • The Special Prosecutor's Office continues its important work on establishing legal accountability for the allegations arising from the illegal wiretaps / corruption

  9. Albania • Candidate Country status since 2014. • Overall good development. Therefore: • Commission has proposed the opening of negotiations. • Justice reform is the most important priority in view of this: • Process on vetting (re-evaluation) of judges launched, Com is in the lead of the International Monitoring Operation (IMO)

  10. Bosnia-Herzegovina • Positive momentum on the reform agenda in 2015/16 • BiH submitted application for membership on 15 February 2016. • Questionnaire sent: Answers due by 31 May 2017 (indicative) but prolongation is not unlikely as exercise is challenging for BiH authorities • Commission opinion to follow in due course, ideally with spring package 2018

  11. Kosovo * • SAA in force since 1 April 2016. Impetus for economy, investment and trade. • The Commission is fully aware of the importance of visa liberalisation for the people of Kosovo. Kosovo has made good progress, especially on the track record of high level corruption and organised crime cases. Kosovo now needs to finalise the border demarcation with Montenegro, so that the Commission can give its green light to EP and Council. • Progress on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is more than ever of utmost importance to preserve peace and stability between the two sides and in the region; it is also crucial for advancing of both sides towards the European Union. • *This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

  12. Questions?

More Related