EU shifts towards tailor-made enlargement policy[de] 

The European Union's current enlargement process is taking place against the backdrop of a deep and widespread recession, with the crisis affecting both the EU and the enlargement countries themselves, according to the EU executive's 'Strategy Paper'. 

The paper adds that economic activity in the Western Balkans and Turkey has contracted sharply since the second half of 2008, following reduced demand for their exports, less foreign direct investment and lower cross-border lending. Unemployment, which is already high in many countries, continues to rise further, it said. 

However, the economic downturn in the Western Balkans and Turkey was less severe than in the EU member countries that were most affected, the report adds, noting on the negative side that the Western Balkan countries have limited scope for a strong domestic macroeconomic policy response to the crisis. 

Economic situation helped by EU prospects 

The perspective of EU accession has helped investors to retain confidence in the economies of the Western Balkan region and provided an anchor for economic policies in the recent turbulent period, says the report. 

"Enlargement is one of the most effective foreign policy instruments of the EU," the Commission writes, adding that some of the countries concerned, such as Croatia and Turkey, have been able to reap the benefits of structural reforms introduced in recent years, helping to alleviate the crisis. 

Corruption harms public perception of enlargement 

While concediing once again that the fight against corruption and organised crime remains a major challenge for the Western Balkans and Turkey, the Commission this time notes that these issues affect the public's perception of EU enlargement, sometimes in a disproportionate way. 

Bilateral questions poison the process 

The EU executive notes that in the last 12 months, the border issue between Slovenia and Croatia has held back accession negotiations with Croatia (EurActiv 05/10/09). Similarly, it deplores the lack of progress made towards normalisng Turkey's bilateral relations with the Republic of Cyprus. 

Regional cooperation stalled 

The Commission's 'strategy' document also deplores Serbia's obstruction of Kosovo's participation in regional meetings, initiatives and agreements, saying its attitude has become "an obstacle to regional cooperation". The paper also conveys the message that the recently-established Regional Cooperation Council in Sarajevo has not been delivering the expected results. 

Visa-free travel: A sweetener 

The Commission expects a visa-free travel regime to be established between the EU and Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia by the beginning of 2010. The EU executive says it will table proposals for Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina by mid-2010, provided that these countries meet the EU's set conditions. Kosovo is also included in the process, "aiming at eventual visa liberalisation when the necessary reforms [...] have been undertaken and the conditions met". 

Croatia: Leader of the pack 

For Croatia, the buzzword is that the country's accession negotiations are "nearing the final phase". However, considerable challenges remain regarding access by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to important documents on the use of artillery by Croatian forces during the Balkan war in the 1990s. The so-called 'artillery files' refer to Operation Storm, a Croatian military offensive to regain territory which caused around 200,000 Serbs to flee the former Yugoslav republic at the end of the 1991-1995 war. 

Border delimitations also continue to be a problem despite a recent move by Slovenia to unblock Croatia's EU negotiations. That agreement is without prejudice to the still-unresolved border dispute. 

Turkey: A massive challenge 

The pace of reforms now needs to be significantly stepped up in Turkey, the Commission 'Strategy Paper' says. Concerns remain in a number of areas, including freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, trade union rights, civilian oversight of the military and women's rights and gender equality, the paper reveals.

Presenting the country reports, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that Turkish intellectuals continue to be hassled over their words. He also deplored that an anti-terror law is used to effectively restrict freedom of expression. In addition, he expressed concern over "legal uncertainties and pressures of all sorts [that] affect freedom of the press in practice, as shown by the tax fine against the Dogan media group" (EurActiv 15/09/09). 

"We have serious concerns about tax fines for Dogan. I have asked the Turkish authorities to treat this matter very seriously," Rehn told the press. 

On the positive side, Rehn noted the constructive role played by Turkey on regional security, for example in the Middle East and Southern Caucasus, on security of energy supply and on the promotion of dialogue between civilisations. He welcomed the normalisation of relations with Armenia (EurActiv 12/10/09), which he called "an historic step". Likewise, he welcomed a "democratic opening" to resolve the Kurdish question by wide consultation and concrete measures (EurActiv 31/08/09). 

Macedonia: Close to starting talks 

The good news was for Macedonia, with which the Commission now recommends opening accession negotiations. The country obtained candidate-country status in 2005, but has not yet started accession talks. 

However, as Rehn said, Macedonia must strive to develop friendly relations with its neighbours and finally settle its name dispute with Greece (EurActiv 13/10/09). 

'Deterioration' in Bosnia and Herzegovina 

Bosnia and Herzegovina's progress in addressing key reforms has remained "very limited", the report said, adding that in this country the domestic climate has "deteriorated" (EurActiv 09/10/09). 

The country, which is close to disintegration according to some press reports, is urged to achieve constitutional reform "without further delay". 

The Commission is also categorical in saying that the EU will not be able to consider an application by Bosnia and Herzegovina until the Office of the High Representative, which has co-managed the country since the 1995 Dayton Agreements, is closed. 

Serbia's ambitions praised 

Serbia, which is a latecomer to the EU accession process, appears to be catching up, with the country winning praise for its "ambitious programme" to join the Union and for possessing the administrative capacity to make "substantial progress towards the EU". 

Cooperation with the ICTY has further improved, but war criminals Ratko Mladić and Goran Hadžić - who have both been indicted - remain at large, the paper notes. The Netherlands in particular is opposed to the entry into force of the EU-Serbia Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) before the two war criminals are brought to justice. 

Serbia is also asked to demonstrate a more cooperative attitude toward Kosovo's participation in formats of regional cooperation. 

Kosovo urged to protect minorities 

The authorities of the former Serbian province of Kosovo, which declared independence in February 2008, are criticised for recent incidents which resulted in the damage of more than 20 vehicles belonging to the EU's law enforcement mission, EULEX (EurActiv 26/08/09). "Major challenges remain, including the rule of law, the fight against corruption and organised crime, the strengthening of administrative capacity, the protection of the Serb and other minorities, and enhancing dialogue and reconciliation between the communities," the strategy paper reads. 

Albania still waits for election results 

Albania applied for EU membership in April 2009. In July, the EU Council stated that it would return to the country's application once the Albanian election procedure had been completed. Ever since the June national elections, the two main players, the governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha and the Socialist party and main challenger Edi Rama keep accusing each other of fraud (EurActiv 30/06/09). 

Albania needs to make progress, in particular regarding the rule of law and the fight against corruption, as well as the proper functioning of state institutions, especially the independence of the judiciary, the Commission paper says. 

Montenegro and Iceland – less problematic 

The strategy document does not devote much space to Montenegro, the last republic to have seceded from Serbia in 2006, nor to the latest country to have applied for EU membership – Iceland. 

Montenegro filed its EU membership bid in December 2008 (EurActiv 16/12/08). In April 2009 the Council invited the Commission to submit its opinion. Work on the preparation of the opinion is ongoing, the paper says, adding that Montenegro will need to demonstrate concrete results on consolidating the rule of law, and particularly on judicial reform and the fight against corruption. 

As for Iceland, who filed its application on 16 July 2009 (EurActiv 20/07/09), the Commission says that the country - a well-established democracy seriously affected by the crisis - is a special case as it is largely integrated into the EU's internal market through its participation in the European Economic Area. It is also a member of the Schengen Area. 

The Turkish Economic Development Foundation  (IKV) commented on the release of the country's Progress Report for 2009 by deploring "injustice in the Customs Union towards Turkey" and the fact that Turkey had not been given a roadmap for visa-free travel and a date for its EU accession, EurActiv Turkey reports. 

"If the membership target date anticipated is 2014, the European Commission must work more and make the incomplete dossiers ready for negotiations for the well-being of accession talks," IKV said. 

"As for visas applied by the EU members on Turkish citizens, the Commission has adopted extremely passive stance despite the final decision of the European Court of Justice. We call on the Commission, the guardian of the treaties, to fulfill its obligation and make necessary legal implementations in the subject matter." 

"In the report, Turkey is being criticised for applying restrictions on the Customs Union [with respect to Cyprus] but the problems Turkish businessmen face in visa applications are overlooked. Quotas and similar limitations against Turkish trucks are not cited in the very same report." 

"The Commission should also be more active in the issue of Free Trade Agreements (FTA). It should be adjudicated that FTAs the EU will sign with the third parties must be put in force concurrently with the one to be made with Turkey." 

"If financial aids provided to candidate countries during the previous accession negotiations are taken into consideration, funds allocated for Turkey are extremely inadequate," the IKV statement concludes. 

German MEP Elmar Brok, EPP Group coordinator in the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, generally welcomed the Commission's clear criticism of the human rights situation in Turkey as well as the country's deficiencies in minority protection, freedom of religion and freedom of the press. 

"In this respect, the latest progress report submitted today by the Commission speaks a clear language", he said. 

"However, with regard to the still unresolved question of Cyprus's status, the Commission's intention 'not to disturb ongoing negotiations by putting pressure on Turkey' does not contribute to its credibility," Brok further elaborates. 

"Turkey signed the so-called 'Ankara Protocol' in 2005 and is therefore obliged to finally open its ports and airports to Cyprus as an EU member state. The Commission itself has set a deadline for Ankara to fulfil its obligations towards Cyprus until the end of the year, but if it provides Turkey with a blank cheque, even though Ankara has not yet met its obligations, then this will not strengthen the future negotiation position of the European Union," Brok stated in Brussels. 

The European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey, Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten, welcomed the Commission's progress report on the country. 

Oomen-Ruijten said: "I share the analysis of the European Commission regarding the political pressure on the media which affects press and media freedom. Moreover, the situation regarding minority rights remains a matter of great concern and the problems of the Alevi and non-Muslim religious communities still have to be solved." 

"I am particularly worried about the impunity and the passivity regarding domestic violence, honour killings and forced marriages. One out of every four women has been injured as a result of physical or sexual violence. Although all necessary legislation is now in place, the implementation is still not sufficient," she said. 

"Finally, there has been no progress towards the normalisation of bilateral relations with the Republic of Cyprus and the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement has not been fully implemented. Quite rightly, the Commission concludes that Turkey is expected to support the ongoing negotiations actively between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus with concrete steps," the rapporteur stated. 

German MEP Alexander Graf Lambsdorff  (FDP), ALDE rapporteur for accession negotiations with Turkey, reacted to the Commission's 2009 progress report by calling on the country to take further steps down the path of reform. 

He stated: "For Liberals and Democrats, freedom of expression and of the media are central to the quality of democracy in any given country. They are core European, indeed universal, values. It is disconcerting, therefore, that the Commission finds Turkey at fault on these fundamental liberties. The continued blocking of YouTube and the crippling fine against the Dogan group are just the two most prominent examples."

"Turkey needs to reinvigorate the reform process – for the sake of the country's European perspective but mainly for the sake of its own citizens," Graf Lambsdorff concluded.

Slovak MEP Eduard Kukan (EPP), chair of the Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo, said in a statement: "The European Union is aware that global recession has hit the economies of the countries of the Western Balkans, some to a larger extent than others, but it's also clear that those countries who have already introduced structural reforms over recent years, have been able to attenuate the crisis."

"I am concerned that corruption continues to affect many aspects of every-day life of citizens and enterprises. Moreover, organized crime remains a problem throughout the region of the Western Balkans. Therefore, it is urgent, to step up the implementation and enforcement of the rule of law," he said.

"I am convinced that even during the current global recession, integrating our South Eastern European partners remains a strategic objective of the EU, for consolidating peace, stability and economic prosperity in Europe, which from now on should be pursued more resolutely," he concluded.

The Cypriot government "considers the Commission must recommend particular measures against Turkey, if it continues not to implement its obligations," in case Ankara continues not to fulfill its obligations towards the EU and the Republic of Cyprus, Government Spokesman Stephanos Stephanou said.

"The Commission's progress report and the Enlargement Strategy constitute the signal for the commencement of deliberations for the assessment of Turkey's compliance," he added.

Furthermore Stephanou noted that the Commission's documents record "an absolute lack of progress with regard to the implementation of Turkish obligations."

Stephanou pointed out that while the Commission records Turkey's public support to the UN-led talks for a Cyprus settlement, it stipulates that Ankara is expected "to support actively these talks and to take practical steps to contribute to creating a climate favourable to a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement of the Cyprus problem within the UN framework, in accordance with the relevant UN SE resolutions and in line with the principles on which the Union is founded on".

Without a solution to the ‘name dispute’ with Greece, accession talks with Macedonia will not start, writes the daily “Nova Makedonija”, quoting unnamed diplomatic sources. What can already be predicted, the daily goes further, is that by December, when the EU Council would need to fix a date for starting the accession talks with Macedonia, the government of prime minister Nikola Gruevski will be under constant pressure for changing the constitutional name of the country. 
The newspaper also writes that the news from Greece are that the new government is not abandoning its ‘red line’ – that the compromise name should be both for internal and international use.

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