Front-runners move to pick up the pace over agriculture talks

Date: 07/06/01

By Simon Taylor

THE leading applicant countries are calling on the EU to step up the pace of enlargement negotiations so they can be concluded by the middle of 2002.

A statement last week by foreign ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hungary, Estonia and Cyprus, who have been negotiating since 1999, stresses the importance of starting "substantial negotiations on agriculture" during the Belgian presidency of the EU in the second half of this year.

The ministers also called on member states to avoid complicating the negotiations by "creating undue linkages" between different issues and raising "short-term political interests".

The states argue that, provided the Union keeps on its roadmap for progress in the talks, it should be possible to close negotiations in the first half of next year. They also believe the Göteborg summit should set out the time-frame for the next step in the enlargement process.

The Swedish Presidency wrapped up environment negotiations with the Czech Republic, Estonia and Hungary at their latest meeting under the Accession Conference last Friday (1 June).

Another significant step was the provisional closure of talks on movement of capital with the Czechs, who accepted a proposed seven-year ban on the purchase of agricultural land by existing EU citizens. Provisional closure of free movement of goods with Malta, social policy and employment with the Czech Republic and Poland, culture and external relations with Slovenia and customs union with Hungary were also agreed.

Ministerial-level accession meetings will be held on 11-12 June.

Article forms part of a survey on enlargement.