The European Union has decided once and for all to stop discussing the limits and timeframe of its expansion. Two weeks ago the EU’s legislative body, the European Parliament, adopted a resolution instructing the EU’s executive body, the European Commission, to issue a report on establishing the borders of the European Union by the end of the year.
The resolution was passed with 397 parliamentarians in favor, 95 against, and 37 abstentions. The European Commission must take into account not only the promises given to candidate members of the EU and potential candidates, but also the EU’s capacity to admit new members. To do so, it will have to determine the “nature of the EU, including its geographical borders.”
In addition, the European Commission must develop an information strategy to satisfy the legitimate interest of the European public concerning European expansion and integration. As a recommendation, members of the European Parliament propose to establish close and comprehensive contacts with European countries that have not received clear membership prospects.
Their more fortunate neighbors may also maintain such relationships, and this would be an intermediate stage on the road to membership. At the same time, the European parliamentarians have toughened their stand with regard to potential members, who must not only satisfy the membership requirements for this elite club, but also begin their active implementation.
Does the European Parliament’s resolution threaten Ukraine in any way? Does it mean that the EU’s doors will be closed to our country? Below, Vice-President of the European Parliament Janusz ONYSZKIEWICZ answers questions from The Day .
Does this resolution present any risks for Ukraine?
J.O.: I hope that it does not greatly affect Ukraine’s European prospects. The European Parliament has made it clear that Ukraine should receive these prospects. In fact, all the basic EU instruments state that any European country that meets European standards and wishes to join the EU has a right to do so. Therefore, the aim of this resolution is not to restrict EU expansion but simply to make it clear that countries, like Israel or Morocco, will probably not be admitted, but Ukraine must be accepted.
What were the preconditions for this resolution and what are your views of this document?
J.O.: The European Union must preserve a certain status. Otherwise it will be very difficult to formulate joint foreign and security policies; this affects the development of a joint economic policy. Also, it is important to build a friendly neighborhood around Europe. In view of this, the European Union must not develop and expand through discrimination, but its frontiers must be confined to the Mediterranean coast and must remain open in the Eastern European direction for all countries that are currently between the EU and Russia, including Ukraine, at least in the distant future.
Most of the representatives in the European Parliament believe that the declaration of the European Union’s expansion has caused certain problems, not only because of the countries that were the last to join the EU, but also because of those with membership prospects — Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and perhaps the countries of the Western Balkans, plus Turkey, which is a special case. That is why it would be premature to expect the European Union to explicitly declare its preparedness to receive Ukraine in its embrace.
But in my personal opinion, I believe that in the long run Ukraine’s membership is inevitable, provided it adheres to the EU membership idea.
How did you vote on the resolution?
J.O.: I voted in favor of the resolution. I expect that the European Commission will not only deliberate the resolution, but also seriously consider the important issues laid down in it. I am sure that it will not create any barriers for Ukraine’s EU membership, even if this membership is not likely in the near future.
If you compare Ukraine’s situation with the Polish experience, it is somewhat different. Poland signed the possible association agreement in 1991. That agreement contained one aspect of the declaration of our desire to join the EU, and the union adopted it at the time. We joined the European Union in 2004. Obviously we had certain advantages, since we had better starting positions for negotiations with the European Union than Ukraine has today. Therefore, you should not feel that you are being treated unfairly.
How do you think the parliamentary elections in Ukraine will affect its European integration course?
J.O.: I am afraid these elections may affect the rate at which Ukraine moves toward EU membership. If the elections result in less purposeful progress on the road to the European Union, if the process of introducing political, economic, and social institutions in Ukraine is slowed down, Ukraine’s European prospects will fade.
Anyway, I am not insisting on the introduction of reforms by force simply because they are required by the European Union. After all, these reforms will benefit your country. What we did to prepare ourselves to join the EU was not the result of any unjustified requirements on the EU’s part. We benefited from this.
