B3-0148, 0150, 0151 and 0152/94

Resolution on the state of enlargement negotiations with Austria, Sweden, Finland and Norway

The European Parliament,

-having regard to Rule 89 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having regard to its earlier resolutions on enlargement, in particular its resolutions of 15 May 1991 on Community enlargement and relations with other European countries, 15 July 1993 on Community enlargement and 17 November 1993 on the negotiations concerning enlargement of the Union to include Austria, Sweden, Finland and Norway,

-having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meetings in Lisbon, Edinburgh, Copenhagen and Brussels,

-having regard to the statements by the Commission and the Council on progress made in the negotiations with the applicant countries,

1.Looks forward to the successful conclusion of the accession negotiations;

2.States its willingness to consider urgently, together with the Council, the institutional issues raised;

3.Stresses that it is impossible for Parliament to take a decision solely on a document summarizing the agreements and that it will be able to give its assent only when it has received the full texts of the treaties;

4.Recalls the conclusions of its above-mentioned resolution of 17 November 1993 concerning the institutional aspects of enlargement; reaffirms that the accession treaty must include the institutional changes needed to ensure that the Union operates smoothly, and calls on both the applicant countries and the Member States to carry out institutional reforms to guarantee that the decision-taking structure is democratic, effective and transparent;

5.Expresses its deep dissatisfaction at the way in which the recent European Council meeting in Brussels reacted to this request by actually ignoring it, as is shown by the mechanical adjustments it proposes for enlargement;

6.As regards the number of seats in the European Parliament, is pleased that the European Union has proposed the same number of seats as decided by Parliament itself in its resolutions on this matter; can accept that, in view of Sweden's population, the number of Swedish MEPs could be adjusted to 22;

7.Welcomes the fact that the candidate countries all have a long tradition of open government; is convinced that as full members they will contribute actively to the efforts of the present EU Member States with a view to rendering the institutions of the Union more open and democratic; is convinced that the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union will be beneficial for all its members as well as for the four applicant countries and that it will contribute considerably to the creation of increased stability on the European continent;

8.Welcomes the fact that the four applicant countries have demonstrated their willingness to accept the acquis communautaire and the goal of European integration, and points out that the common foreign and security policy is one of the foundations of future European integration;

9.Is pleased that the negotiations on social policy appear to have been concluded; recalls that the candidate countries all have high social standards and expects that, as full members, they will make major contributions to the European Union within the context of social and labour market policy in line with the goals laid down by the Treaty on European Union, including the goal of creating equal opportunities for men and women;

10.Welcomes the agreement at the December ministerial conferences that there should be a transition period of four years for environmental norms and standards during which a review of European Union legislation must take place; draws attention, however, to outstanding environmental issues that still need to be resolved, such as whaling;

11.Is convinced that an agreement can be found on the regional and agricultural policies to be implemented in the candidate countries that would take into account the preservation of employment in their thinly populated regions; notes that it may be possible to use latitude, altitude and the length of the growing season as criteria for support; emphasises, however, that in the transition, Accession Compensatory Amounts (ACAs), such as used with Spanish and Portuguese accession, should not be used as they would lead to the retention of frontier controls;

12.Underlines that the European Union will conclude free trade agreements with the Baltic countries;

13.Notes the closing of the essential chapter on Common Foreign and Security Policy, and takes it that all the applicant states will participate fully in "the eventual framing of a common defence policy, which might in time lead to a common defence";

14.Is concerned, however, that the difficulties on the EU side prevented the closing of the chapters on EMU;

15.Considers that the genuine problems posed by trans-Alpine traffic should be solved by means of general Community rules, in a non-discriminatory and environmentally friendly fashion;

16.Underlines that certain regions with a delicate environment must be protected from mass tourism by means of restrictions which do not lead to discrimination between citizens of the Union;

17.Calls on the Commission to take all necessary steps to ensure that adequate information on European integration is available to the populations in the four candidate countries;

18.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of Austria, Sweden, Finland and Norway.