The Week in Europe 23-29/06/01

EU news in brief

Flash Eurobarometer on the euro - May 2001

After a whole year marked by a lack of urgency, basic information about the euro at last seems to be getting across in all the euro zone countries, according to the latest Flash Eurobarometer on the euro published on 25 June by the European Commission. Broadly speaking the national information campaigns are starting to have a perceptible impact. But with less than 200 days to go before euro notes and coins are with us, there is still a great deal to be done in informing, training and confidence-building for 306 million citizens. Since March 2000, the European Commission has been conducting Flash Eurobarometer surveys to track changes in public opinion in Europe during the run-up to the introduction of euro notes and coins. The telephone surveys have been carried out every two months. Commenting on the May 2001 survey, Pedro Solbes, the Commissioner with responsibility for economic and monetary affairs, stated: "The results are encouraging and confirm that we are moving in the right direction. The preparations for the introduction of notes and coins are gathering pace but we have still not done enough. In its coordination role, the Commission is endeavouring to alert the institutional players and the main interest groups to the information shortfalls and the risks they entail." the full text of the Flash Eurobarometer can be downloaded from

http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg10/epo/flash/fl98_2_in_sum_en.pdf

[Background paper: IP/01/891]

EU gives euro 1.15 million in humanitarian aid following the earthquake in Peru

The European Commission, through its Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), has moved quickly in response to the earthquake which struck southern Peru on 23 June. In the first instance, a decision to allocate humanitarian aid worth euro 1.15 million was taken on Monday 25 June under the "primary emergency aid" procedure to help meet the urgent needs of the victims. The funds will be used to provide essential relief items, food aid, temporary shelter, medical support, water and sanitation. This may be followed up by further decisions, depending on the scale of needs identified and once a more full assessment has been undertaken. [Background paper: IP/01/897]

Commission proposes a new framework for co-operation on activities concerning the Information and Communication Policy of the European Union

The Commission on 27 June adopted a communication suggesting a new framework for co-operation on the information and communication activities of the European Union. It explains how inter-institutional co-operation, particularly between the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council should take place; the framework is open for participation from the Council, the other institutions and the authorities of the Member States. New forms of co-operation will be established where relations with Member States, National Parliaments, Local Authorities and Civil Society are concerned. The Communication adopted at the initiative of Commissioner Antonio Vitorino invites all to an open debate where everyone would have their say. Background paper: IP/01/910

European Food Authority: Political agreement in Council

On 28 June Commissioner David Byrne welcomed the political agreement in the Council of Ministers on the Commission proposal setting up the European Food Authority (EFA) and laying down general principles of EU food law. The proposal is the cornerstone of the EU food safety strategy. The Council supports the Commission's integrated approach to safety along the entire food chain and a broad remit for the activities of the Authority. The core task of the European Food Authority will be to provide independent scientific advice and support, and to set up a network for close co-operation with similar bodies in Member States. It will assess risks related to the food chain and give the general public information about food risks. The draft regulation on which Ministers reached agreement incorporates about half of the amendments put forward by the European Parliament on June 12. It does not deal with the question of the location of the Authority. The Commission does not agree with the position adopted by the Council in relation to the composition of the Management Board. The legislation will now go to second reading in the Parliament before final adoption by Council. ]Background paper: IP/01/916 & MEMO/01/248]

European Commission pledges substantial financial support to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at Brussels Donors Conference

On 29 June the European Commission pledged a total of euro 530 million in a financial support package of grants and loans for the FRY at an international donors conference which it is hosting, jointly with the World Bank, in Brussels. This pledge is in addition to the pledges by individual EU Member States that will be made separately at the conference, and underlines the scale of the overall EU contribution to the reform and reconstruction effort in the FRY. The European Commissions financial package is part of the continuing effort to return the FRY to stability and economic growth that began within weeks of the fall of Slobodan Milosevic last October. The funds pledged today will assist the FRY authorities with institution building and economic reform, and will help them in their efforts to transform their country into a modern, market oriented member of the family of European democracies. [Background paper: IP/01/924]

Enlargement news

Commission study sees economic gains from enlargement

The economic gains from enlargement could increase the GDP growth of the candidate countries by up to 2 percent on a yearly basis in the 10 years surrounding the date of accession, according to a new Commission report on the economic impact of enlargement. The report, released by the Commission's Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs on 29 June, says that the effect for the current EU members would be a small but positive 0.7 percent increase on growth over the 2000-9 period. Germany and Austria would be the greatest beneficiaries of the economic impact of enlargement, according to the report. The report adds that migration flows are expected to be limited and will mainly affect Germany and Austria. It also concludes that the impact of enlargement on the European agricultural sector will be moderate in the first years after accession. The full text of the report can be downloaded from

http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/economy_finance/document/enlargement/elp04en.htm

Günter Verheugen sees EU enlarging to ten countries in 2004

Günter Verheugen, the Commissioner responsible for the EU's enlargement, said in Brussels on 28 June that after the Gothenburg Summit in June "the prospects of finishing accession talks with front-runners by the end of 2002 appears more realistic than ever". He added that the necessary ratification procedures should be finished in time to allow the first new members to participate in the June 2004 European Parliament elections "as full members". Up to 10 countries have "a realistic chance to accede in 2004", stressed Verheugen. The Commissioner, who praised the progress made in enlargement negotiations under the Swedish Presidency in the first half of 2001, warned that EU accession in 2004 was "not guaranteed for any candidate country, as none of them is yet able to adequately implement all EU rules". He said it was too early to predict how many countries would join in the first wave of enlargement. However, it appears certain that Bulgaria and Romania will not be among the front-runners. Mr Verheugen expressed his conviction that Poland, which is now seen as lagging behind the most advanced countries, "certainly had the potential to catch up with the front-runners after its elections are held in September". He added that although Poland is an important candidate, it will be treated like all the others, according to its individual achievements. The Commissioner announced that he would propose draft EU positions on budget-related aspects of enlargement next year, which are seen as the most difficult part of negotiations. He said that "all possible accession scenarios can be financed under the financial perspectives in force". [Background paper: SPEECH/01/318]

New National programme of the Czech Republic

On 27 June 2001, the Czech Republic submitted to the European Commission its up-dated National Programme for the Preparation of the Czech Republic for EU Membership. The PDF document can be found at http://www.euroskop.cz/euroskop/site/cr/dokumenty/dokumenty/NP2001en.pdf .

Romanians to be granted visa-free access to EU

The European Commission adopted a report on Romania on 29 June recommending that Romanian citizens should be exempted from the EU visa requirement as of 1 January 2002. However, the report stresses that visas can be abolished only on condition that the Romanian authorities fulfil a number of commitments. The report makes a positive assessment of Romania's achievements so far in the areas of illegal immigration and illegal residence. The Commission report welcomes Romania's progress in the area of legislation relevant for the visa exemption, such as the new aliens law, a government decision on a new type of passport and a framework agreement on readmission. It is also satisfied with improved practices on border controls and visa issuing. Based on its positive assessment, the Commission concludes that visa exemption for Romania would not result in a large increase of illegal residents from Romania in the Member States. The Commission believes that lifting the visa obligation would contribute to the democratisation process in Romania by simplifying international exchange and travel possibilities for Romanian students, researchers and businessmen. Romania is the last of the 12 candidate countries negotiating EU entry to still have visa requirements. The Council decided in November 2000 that visa requirements for Bulgaria would be lifted within six months. Previously, both countries were scheduled to be granted visa-free access to the EU by 2003. The visa obligation exemption for Romania should be implemented from 1 January 2002 if the Council of EU Member States endorses the Commission's recommendation.

Slovakia catches up with most advanced candidates

The last round of EU enlargement negotiations under the Swedish Presidency on 27 June allowed Slovakia and Lithuania to catch up with the most advanced candidate countries. Slovakia and Latvia closed the controversial chapter on free movement of people, where the EU demands seven-year transition periods. Malta also closed negotiations on this chapter; however, the EU did not impose any restrictions for its labour force. Malta was allowed to introduce safeguards to protect its labour market from EU job-seekers.

The following chapters were closed at the negotiation meetings between the EU and twelve candidates on 27 June:

· Bulgaria: none;

· Malta: Free movement of people;

· Latvia: Free movement of people;

· Lithuania: Environment;

· Romania: Fisheries;

· Slovakia: Free movement of people; Free movement of capital.

All negotiation chapters have been opened with Slovakia, Latvia and Lithuania, except for the institutions chapters. This puts the countries which started negotiating in the spring of 2000 on par with the more advanced group of candidates that started negotiating two years before that.

Poland, the biggest candidate, falls further behind in enlargement negotiations as other candidates progress. The Polish government is not expected to broker any substantial deal with the EU before the general election this September.

The EU and Slovakia agreed on a seven-year transition period for the sale of agricultural land and forests to non-Slovaks.

Lithuania received the green light for transitional periods for volatile organic compound emissions from the storage and distribution of petrol, packaging and packaging waste and urban waste-water treatment.

The Belgian Presidency of the EU, which takes over from Sweden on 1 July, will continue negotiations on competition policy, transport policy, energy, taxation, customs union, agriculture, fisheries, justice and home affairs, and financial control, as scheduled by the "Road Map". All the financial issues will be dealt with under the Spanish Presidency in the first half of 2002. Negotiations with the most advanced countries could be concluded by the end of 2002, allowing them to join by the end of 2004.

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