Dutch want break on EU enlargement
11.04.2006 - 09:41 CET | By Mark Beunderman
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The Netherlands wants to impose the toughest-ever safeguards in possible EU accession negotiations with the western Balkans states, while vowing to keep states like Ukraine and Moldova out of the union.
The Dutch parliament is set to hold a debate on Tuesday (11 April) on EU enlargement amid increasing uneasiness in the Netherlands about further expansion of the bloc.
The Hague, unlike Paris, has not publicly blamed enlargement for the "no" vote to the EU constitution in its referendum last year.
But at the same time, Dutch political circles appear extremely wary of offending public opinion by rushing ahead with further big EU projects.
Enlargement has emerged as one of the areas where the Dutch want to put a break on European integration.
A letter sent by foreign minister Bernard Bot to parliament ahead of the debate proposes subjecting EU hopefuls in the Western Balkans to the toughest-ever EU entry regime.
States like Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania should only get the formal EU candidate status if they have not only signed, but also fully implemented the preceding Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, the letter says.
"This way it is avoided that one of the countries concerned requests membership too early," writes Mr Bot
The Hague also wants that "during the whole accession negotiations process there should be an explicit possibility to address [the EUs] political criteria."
This idea, also promoted by France for Turkeys accession talks, is seen by some observers as meaning that accession talks on technical matters can be cut off at any time for "political" reasons.
Difficult chapters first
Mr Bot also writes that the European Commission should "open difficult [negotiating] chapters, such as those on justice and home affairs, early in the negotiating process, in order to avoid that these important matters have to be decided under time pressure."
When opening the accession negotiations with Turkey and Croatia last October, the commission already hinted that it would not leave the most difficult negotiations for the last moment.
This came as a lesson from the planned enlargement with Bulgaria and Romania, which have been promised a 2007 entry date, but still face serious backlogs in corruption and the judiciary.
In the letter, Mr Bot also writes that the EU "should not for the time being offer an accession perspective" to states other than Turkey and the Western Balkans, which have already been promised future membership.
'It has been enough'
Mr Bot is not the only Dutch politician voicing concerns about further enlargement.
Dutch state secretary for EU affairs Atzo Nicolai said on Monday in an interview with De Volkskrant that "it has been enough" with further enlargement after the Western Balkans and Turkey.
Mr Nicolai warned against offering "privileged partnerships" to states like Ukraine and Moldova, as these would be perceived as interim steps to fully-fledged EU membership.
"I will do everything to avoid that countries like Ukraine or Moldova will still join in the end via interim steps," Mr Nicolai said.
The idea of a "privileged partnership," described by experts as "everything but the institutions," means that states would closely cooperate with the EU in major policy areas, but without seats in the EU institutions.
German conservatives who champion the idea have also mentioned it as an option for Turkey and the Western Balkans.
EU foreign ministers in December agreed to hold a broad debate this year on the union's enlargement strategy, with the topic set to be on the agenda at an informal ministers meeting in May.
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Printed from EUobserver.com 09.05.2006
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rit gomar te mbije bar. Detyrimet e SAA permbushen vetem pas luftes te 3te boterore
Pėrgjigju Duke Cituar
, mire te na e bejne kur jemi kaq mbrapa me procesin e privatizimit dhe me reformat.
) nga andej e tutje bota gjithmone iu perkiste ekstremisteve (edhe ato fytyrat historike te lara me flori dhe mallengjim perderisa mbeten ne histori do duhej te ishin ekstremiste te medhenje per kohen e vet) dhe gjithmone nacionalizmi ka qene fuqia levizeze e historise moderne (dhe kete nuk e thash une i pari)
Postuar mė parė nga Kryeplaku
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