2019 Enlargement Package. Presentation by Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations during a meeting of the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

meeting

European neighbourhood policy (T)

Enlargement (T2)

HAHN, Johannes (AT, EC)

2019 Enlargement Package. Presentation by Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, <p>Today's enlargement package rightly notes the positive developments some of them remarkable historic achievements.</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, The main goal of the EU's enlargement policy is to continue exporting stability. We cannot and will not import bilateral disputes and the instability they entail. That's why there's an urgent need for the Western Balkans to make more progress on reconciliation,  good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation inspired by the example of the historic agreement between North Macedonia and Greece

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, While the EU remains by far the biggest trading partner of the Western Balkans we must also take into account China's business and investment activity which is on the rise. While it can in principle offer opportunities these investments very frequently neglect the socio economic and financial sustainability of the host countries

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Both countries have delivered on reforms in particular in the area set by the Council unanimously in June 2018, on that basis the Commission recommends that the Council opens accession negotiations now with both Albania and North Macedonia.

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, While there is progress in some fields Montenegro and Serbia are yet to act with greater determination and substantially increased efforts in crucial areas. The countries urgently need to implement reforms in the rule of law area more strongly and credible.

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, In June 2018 the Council noted unanimously that Turkey's accession negotiations have therefore effectively come to a standstill and no further chapters can be considered for opening or closing. The underlying facts leading to this assessment still hold

SOUNDBITE (French), Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP, RO), Rapporteur Bosnia Herzegovina , We should give the ball in the playing field of the authorities of Bosnia-Herzegovina, at the moment where they could achieve the status of candidate and to open the negotiation, but this depends on the rapidness in which they act on those open questions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Eduard KUKAN (EPP, SK), Concerning North Macedonia, they did a lot but they still need our help in order to materialize all the good bases which they created by their work. Concerning Albania: We are again witnessing the very tense internal political situation, they are going to have the local elections only 30 as of June and it is up to the political elite in the country to raise above their party interest and make the decision which would serve the people of Albania because people are being there really deserve it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Eduard KUKAN (EPP, SK), We should do something more dramatic. We should review the instruments which we have at our disposal to use in making positive pressure on the colleagues in the in the Western Balkans. We should do it because if we don't do it, I am concerned and afraid that our credibility will be slipping away and our authority will be slipping.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ivo VAJGL (ALDE, SI), Rapporteur Republic of North Macedonia , We committed and promised to the people of North Macedonia and to the politicians,  if they deliver, if they opened their politics to the new approach in relations with a neighbouring country. If they were able to achieve such a compromise as agreement with Greece, they should be rewarded and the commitment should be respected, otherwise European Union will lose any credibility in the region

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Rapporteur Serbia , And another enormous challenge will of course be the dialogue on the normalisation of relations with Kosovo. In the short run the dialogue must be resumed while eventually we all know a legally binding agreement is needed. Serbia is progressing on its path towards the EU.