Policies

ENLARGEMENT

In a solemn declaration on 9 May 2000, the EPP-ED Group stated:

"The enlargement which is now under way is consistent with the grand design of the founding fathers of the European Union. It will ultimately serve to reunify the continent; the accession of the applicant countries will bring about the culmination of the vision propounded by Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide De Gasperi and all the statesmen who have elevated European integration to the rank of a project for civilisation".

The Central and Eastern European countries, following the catastrophic Second World War and the oppression of communism, have finally gained their freedom. It is due to their belief in, and support for, both the values for which the EPP-ED Group stands, and for the European Union's objectives, i.e. democracy, human rights, statehood, market economy, solidarity, that these countries, along with Cyprus and Malta, wish to participate in the building of Europe. The Group, conscious of this, is determined to encourage them, support them and accompany them along the way to accession.

In January 2001 in Berlin, the 14th Congress of the European People's Party adopted a resolution, proposed by its parliamentary group, on the historical, moral and political obligation of enlargement. It states:
"The future enlargement of the European Union is an historic milestone on the route to an ever closer union between the peoples of Europe. An enlarged Europe is a wonderful opportunity to guarantee peace in our area of the world".

Accession by the Central and Eastern European countries is not only in their political and economic interests, it is also in the interests of the European Union and its Member States. The EPP-ED Group will ensure that enlargement does not paralyse the workings of the European Institutions, particularly with regard to decision-making, or endanger the strengthening of European integration. The Group's vision of combining the two, seemingly opposite, goals of integration and enlargement has been endorsed by several European Summits.

The EPP-ED Group believes that the opportunity to accede has to be examined in the light of the European Union's fundamental objectives: establishment and respect of liberty, security, stability and economic development balanced by social justice and solidarity. The Group thus supported the Copenhagen Summit's (21-22 June, 1993) decision, which fixed the economic and political criteria for accession.

The EPP-ED Group proposed a fast-track timetable for the negotiations. The European Parliament endorsed this proposal. The European Commission and the Gothenburg European Council of June, 2001 supported this idea of the Group.

The Commission adopted its report on the candidate countries' progress and recommended conclusion on accession negotiations with ten of them by the end of 2002. At the Copenhagen European Council on 12 and 13 December, 2002 the negotiations were concluded positively. On 9 April, 2003 the European Parliament approved the Accession Treaty with the ten candidate states. A historic moment celebrated by the EPP-ED Group. The citizens of the new Member States have endorsed this decision in the referenda taking place in 2003 by voting overwhelmingly in favour of the accession.

At the Informal European Council in Athens on 16 April, 2003 the Accession Treaty was signed. The following statement was made:
"We the representatives of the citizens and States of the European Union meet today on this symbolic site, under the Acropolis, to celebrate an historic event: The signing of the Accession Treaty for Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia".

EPP Prime Ministers and Commissioners have supported the accession during several EPP Summits on the eve of European Council meetings. After the EPP Summit in Athens on 15 April a statement was issued: "The Europe of 25 is no more a dream, it is already a reality. We need now to build for the future of our continent that soon will grow with a bigger population and more diversity. Enlargement is one of the most important opportunities for the European Union at the beginning of this 21st century".

From 1 May, 2003, 162 Members of Parliament from the 10 accession states have joined the European Parliament as official Observers nominated by their respective Parliaments. Of these, 65 have joined the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament. This is by far the largest number of Observers to join any political group. The EPP-ED Group has worked hard to prepare its sister parties for enlargement with a special 'Partnership programme' and close contact throughout the accession negotiations. The accession countries will participate, as full members of the European Union, in the European elections of June, 2004.

The Intergovernmental Conference started on 4 October, 2003 in Rome. It prepared the adoption of the Constitution by the Member States. The European Council in Laeken of December, 2001 asked for this Constitution in order to reform the European Union before its enlargement. The EPP Summit of 19 June, 2003 called on: "The Heads of State and Government to fulfil their responsibility and to negotiate as soon as possible and to finalize the European constitution on the basis of the outcome of the Convention".


Andreas-Renatus Hartmann
Luigi Mazza
Juan Salafranca