A3-0077/94

Resolution on enlargement and neutrality

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the motions for resolutions by

(a)Mr Langer on Community enlargement and neutrality (B3-1547/92),

(b)Mr Poettering and others on expansion and neutrality (B3-1550/92),

-having regard to its resolution of 15 May 1991 on Community enlargement and relations with other European countries,

-having regard to its resolution of 10 June 1991 on the outlook for a European security policy: the significance of a European security policy and its institutional implications for European Political Union,

-having regard to its resolution of 20 January 1993 on the structure and strategy for the European Union with regard to its enlargement and the creation of a Europe-wide order,

-having regard to its resolution of 10 February 1993 on the enlargement of the Community,

-having regard to its resolution of 27 May 1993 on developments in East-West relations in Europe and their impact on European security,

-having regard to its resolution of 15 July 1993 on enlargement,

-having regard to Written Question No. 2408/92 of 6 October 1992 to the Council concerning Austrian neutrality,

-having regard to Written Question No. 2728/92 of 21 December 1992 to the Commission concerning the enlargement of the Community and foreign and security policy,

-having regard to the Commission's opinions on the applications for membership received from Austria (1 August 1991, SEC(91)1590), Sweden (31 July 1992, SEC(92)1582), Finland (4 November 1992, SEC(92)2048) and Norway (24 March 1993, COM(93)0142) and the applications for membership from Cyprus and Malta,

-having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meeting in Copenhagen (21/22 June 1993) concerning enlargement,

-having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Security (A3-0077/94),

A.whereas it has repeatedly adopted the position that the accession of new Member States to the European Community will require further reforms of the Community system, especially with regard to the deepening of the principles and objectives on which political union is based (see, for example, its resolution of 7 April 1992 on the results of the intergovernmental conferences),

B.whereas Article J.4(1) of the Treaty on European Union states that the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) includes the eventual framing of a common defence policy, which might in time lead to a common defence,

C.convinced that a common foreign, security and defence policy must be seen primarily as a policy of preventing conflicts and maintaining peace and that military considerations and measures must be regarded as a last resort,

D.appreciating the extremely positive contribution by certain applicant countries to maintaining peace and reducing conflicts in the past within international organizations, in terms both of manpower and of civilian and military resources, and taking the view that the European Union could usefully take advantage of the wide experience they have acquired to widen significantly its own field of action in this area,

E.whereas, in view of the growing number of trouble-spots in and outside Europe, there is a greater need than ever for the European Union to use its political and economic weight to prevent and resolve conflicts,

F.whereas their geopolitical position and their history give the applicant countries special opportunities and tasks in the shaping of relations with the European Union's eastern neighbours that are positive and can maintain peace,

G.whereas all four countries with which accession negotiations are currently being conducted have made it clear that they accept the acquis communautaire and the provisions of the Treaty on European Union concerning the common foreign and security policy,

H.whereas Article J.10 of the Treaty on European Union provides for the possibility of reviewing the provisions concerning the common foreign and security policy with the aim of deepening the integration process,

I.whereas, with the exception of Norway, none of the applicant countries with which negotiations are currently being conducted belongs to a security alliance,

J.whereas Finland, Austria, Norway and Sweden have very different legal provisions as regards security; whereas this must be taken into account during the accession negotiations,

K.whereas all four countries have shown a strong commitment to the CSCE process and to the UN peacekeeping forces in the past,

L.whereas other countries, such as Malta and Cyprus, have submitted official applications for membership and various countries in Central and Eastern Europe, chief among them the Visegrad countries, have also expressed a definite interest in membership of the European Union; whereas the prospect of full membership of these countries is mentioned in the preambles to the European agreements concluded with them,

M.convinced that the concept of neutrality should be redefined now that the East-West confrontation has come to an end,

N.convinced that genuine and lasting political cohesion of the European Union cannot be imposed artificially but must inevitably take account of the historical bases underlying the specific cultural identity of each country and be based on the spontaneous will of the people of the applicant countries, as well as on a gradual process of harmonization of the different security policies of both the Member States and the applicant countries,

O.aware that Austria's neutral status may pose problems during the accession negotiations with respect, for example, to participation in joint measures and joint action pursuant to Title V, Article J.1(3) of the Treaty on European Union,

P.aware that, in a number of recent statements, the Austrian Government has clearly expressed its desire to participate unconditionally in the future development of the CFSP,

Q.aware that not all the Member States of the present European Union have the same security links with WEU, for example, and that even before the Union's enlargement this may pose problems for the drafting and implementation of decisions and actions of the Union which have defence implications,

R.convinced that the neutral applicant countries too should see the European Union's security and defence policy dimension as a positive element in the process of European integration,

S.whereas the public of certain applicant countries may be reluctant to see their country participating in the development of the defence policy dimension within the framework of the European Union,

T.convinced that the enlargement of the European Union must entail institutional reforms aimed at deepening the process of Community-building within the framework of the European Union if the Union's capacity to function is to be maintained,

U.convinced that the framing of a common foreign, security and defence policy is and remains an essential goal for the development of the European Union, provided that the common foreign and security policy is not reduced to complex intergovernmental negotiations under the close political and operational control of NATO and the WEU, far removed from genuine parliamentary supervision and the will of the people, and focused on the military dimension rather than on policies to promote peace and human rights,

1.Believes that enlargement must lead to the strengthening of the European Union's internal cohesion and the enhancement of its capacity for effective action under the foreign and security policy;

2.Welcomes the fact that all the applicant countries with which negotiations have begun are prepared to accept the provisions of the Treaty on European Union concerning the common foreign and security policy without qualification;

3.Appreciates the contribution made by Norway to security policy within the Atlantic Alliance, and the numerous security and peace initiatives by the other three applicant countries through their active peace policy in the CSCE and the UN and as mediators between conflicting parties in the field of international relations;

4.Is aware Finland, Austria, Norway and Sweden have security arrangements which differ in quality and scope and that this must be taken into account during the accession negotiations;

5.Emphasizes the need for uniform criteria to be applied when the compatibility of the security status of applicant countries with the provisions on the common foreign and security policy is appraised and for future accession negotiations to be based on the same criteria;

6.Emphasizes the need for the applicant countries to be able to participate fully and actively in the foreign and security policy for which the Treaty on European Union provides as soon as they accede to the European Community;

7.Hopes that on their accession the applicant countries will accept fully and unconditionally all the goals of the Treaty on European Union, the provisions of Title V and the relevant declarations annexed to the Treaty;

8.Urges that the accession negotiations should include exhaustive talks between the institutions of the European Union and the applicant countries on the development of a common foreign and security policy;

9.Is convinced that the full involvement of the applicant countries in the common foreign and security policy after their accession would contribute to the stabilization of peace and security throughout the continent of Europe;

10.Is of the opinion that the development of a common security and defence policy within the framework of the European Union is also in the intrinsic security interests of the applicant countries;

11.Notes that the possible accession of countries which are traditionally neutral and yet make a very active contribution to the peace operations of non-partisan international organizations is an opportunity which must be seized by the European Union to increase its own contribution to such operations and to create operative civilian bodies and structures for the prevention, reduction, mediation and settlement of conflicts;

12.Hopes that, after their accession, all the applicant countries will participate actively and constructively in the eventual framing of a common defence policy, which might in time lead to a common defence;

13.Hopes that the public in the applicant countries will share the conviction that a common foreign, security and defence policy is commensurate with their own security interests and is an essential ingredient of a European Union;

14.Believes that a common defence within the framework of the European Union must be purely defensive in nature and should include mutual assistance obligations similar to those set out in the provisions of Article V of the modified Brussels Treaty;

15.Emphasizes, in view of the growing number of trouble-spots requiring internationally coordinated action, the need for the European Union to be able to act as a peacekeeping and peace-making force in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter;

16.Welcomes the fact that various applicant countries have participated actively and with commitment in the CSCE process and in United Nations peacekeeping missions on many occasions in the past and believes that this augurs well for the European Union's ability to pursue an active common policy of preventing and resolving conflicts in the future under the CFSP;

17.Hopes that the countries with which accession negotiations are being conducted will participate in peacekeeping or peace-making missions of the European Union, possibly even before their accession and as far as their constitutions allow;

18.Suggests that it should be considered whether and to what extent countries with which accession negotiations are being conducted might participate in joint action pursuant to Article J.1(3) of the Treaty on European Union even before their accession;

19.Hopes that the applicant countries will examine, where necessary, the provisions of their constitutions for their compatibility with the development of a common defence within the framework of the European Union and arrange for any amendments that may need to be made;

20.Points out that the provisions of Title V, Article J.4(2) of the Treaty on European Union make the Western European Union responsible during a transitional period for the elaboration and implementation of decisions and actions of the European Union which have defence implications and therefore hopes that the applicant countries will consider the legal and political possibility of participating in the WEU's activities pending their accession to the European Union;

21.Hopes that all Member States of the European Union which do not yet belong to the WEU will take steps to become full members, which forms an integral part of the European Union pursuant to Title V, Article J.4(2), in order to further the cohesion of the Union as a whole and to preclude the risk of a 'Europe à la carte';

22.Considers that there is no point in countries which cannot also become full members of the European Union becoming full members of the WEU;

23.Does not believe that membership of military alliances of NATO and the WEU is a necessary precondition for accession to the European Union, but recognizes that the CSCE is an appropriate body to act as a regional system for the prevention and peaceful settlement of conflicts and therefore calls on the Member States of the Union and the applicant countries (which are all already members of the CSCE) to undertake to strengthen the structures and decision-making efficiency of this body;

24.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the parliaments of the Member States, the parliaments and governments of Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Malta, Norway and Sweden and the CSCE, WEU and NATO secretariats.