Croatia accession hopes ‘must not be held back’

Date: 05/04/01

Enlargement chief Günter Verheugen is calling for EU governments to single out which Balkan countries have a genuine chance of joining the Union in the near future.

The Commissioner, speaking at a Brussels conference on Monday (2 April), strongly hinted that economically-advanced Croatia should be assessed on its own merits rather than treating the Balkan countries as a single group.

Asked whether the Croats could join the Union before applicants such as Romania and Bulgaria, Verheugen said the hopes of best-prepared states should not be held back.

"I question whether we have to put these countries in one basket and tell them they can only become members if they all become members," he said. "We need to ask whether a differentiated approach is desirable."

Currently, all Balkan countries are part of the Stability and Association Process which offers them the long-term chance of joining the EU. But Union governments have so far refused to let any of the countries of the region begin formal preparations for accession, such as examining whether their national legislation is in line with Union law.

Verheugen said member states should have a debate on how to turn their offer of Union membership into reality. "We should start to discuss the question of how and whether we could make this perspective operational," he said.

The call comes as the EU has been using the possibility of accession as leverage to bring together divided ethnic groups in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

The Commissioner has suggested in the past that Croatia should be considered as the next potential candidate for membership but his request has been met with resistance from France and the UK.

French minister for Europe Pierre Moscovici has also said it should be made clear to Balkan countries that they have a real chance joining the EU if they achieve democratic standards.

EU relations with Croatia have improved enormously since nationalist politicians were replaced by pro-reform candidates who embraced democratic and economic reform. Croatia is expected to be the second Balkan country to conclude a trade and aid agreement with the EU by the summer. Macedonia will formally sign its Stability and Association Agreement next week.

Enlargement chief Günter Verheugen is calling for EU governments to single out which Balkan countries have a genuine chance of joining the Union in the near future.