Commission gets tough on membership bids

The European Commission will call next week for strict policing of applications to join the EU in a bid to placate those opposed to admitting more countries.

The Commission will criticise Turkey for failing to continue with democratic reforms and will warn that would-be members of the EU face rigorous scrutiny of their eligibility.

On Wednesday (8 November) the Commission will publish its annual strategy on enlargement, along with individual assessments of the progress made by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey to join the EU.

The reports could be overshadowed by the dispute over Cyprus which threatens to derail Turkey’s membership bid. The Finnish government has called emergency talks on 5-6 November in an effort to avoid Turkey’s membership talks being suspended.

According to diplomats, who asked not to be named, the Commission will be "firm in requiring conditionality".

In deference to concerns from some national governments, the report will also acknowledge the need for the EU’s ability to absorb new members before further enlargement.

Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, while sensitive to the opposition of some member states to further expansion, particularly Turkey’s membership, wants to maintain the EU’s ability to drive reform abroad.

Those close to Rehn are concerned that Serbia and Turkey could turn away from the EU if its commitment to enlarge is put in doubt.

He faces dissent from Austria and Germany which oppose bringing Turkey into the club and pressure from colleagues within the Commission. Sources say that commissioners Stavros Dimas and Markos Kyprianou are among those pressing for the report on Turkey to be tough.

According to officials, Turkey will be criticised for slipping in its reform efforts, in particular for failing to stamp out torture and to take action to control the army. The Commission is also pressing Turkey to reform rules on insulting ‘Turkishness’ ahead of the publication of the report.

EU leaders will discuss the reports when they meet on 14-15 December in Brussels.

The Commission will reiterate the need for Bosnia and Herzegovina to form a multi-ethnic police force and to change its constitution, which many say foments ethnic tension.

Serbia will be warned that its continued failure to capture suspected war criminal Radko Mladic´ is blocking its progress to EU membership.

The recent agreement on police reform in Macedonia will allow the country to be given a date to begin membership negotiations some time after the French presidential elections in May.

Kosovo’s progress in developing closer ties with the EU will largely depend on the outcome of negotiations on the province’s final status, which will conclude at the end of this year or in early 2007.

Talks on Croatia’s membership of the EU are proceeding apace, although a dispute over fishing rights with Slovenia has blocked discussions in that area.

The European Commission will call next week for strict policing of applications to join the EU in a bid to placate those opposed to admitting more countries.