FORUM OF SCHOOLS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATIONS

Topic: "New prospects in EU and accession challenges for new candidates"

Guest: Dr Judy Batt, EU Institute for security studies, Diego Cardenas Ramirez and Lora Borissova, European Institute for Public Administration

Moderator: Momčilo Radulović, Secretary General of the EMiM

In the framework of the Forum of European Integration Schools, Centre for Civic Education, Centre for Development of Non-Governmental Organizations and European Movement in Montenegro, in cooperation with the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Montenegro and with support of FOSI ROM organized on 12 April 2007 a panel discussion, titled "New prospects in EU and accession challenges for new candidates". The guests of the Forum were: Dr Judy Batt from the Paris based EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Diego Cardenas Ramirez and Lora Borissova from the Luxembourg European Institute for Public Administration (EIPA).

During her speech, Dr Batt explained that undoubtedly, the last enlargement had a great impact on the EU, opening up a debate on the "enlargement fatigue", which is at the same time a story of the "reform fatigue in own states". She gave a detailed outline of the situation in the member states, both the new ones and the original founders of the EU, as well as the crisis these are passing through. In this context, she also spoke about the perspectives of the countries that are currently in different accession stages. Dr Batt warned the candidate states to "concentrate on their own work and on the required reforms", which are key to their "progress towards EU, regardless of the current situation in the EU". In addition to this, she stressed: "these problems within the EU have little to do with you. It is important that the West Balkans should continue with reforms required for the attainment of EU membership. There is no reason to speculate that EU may not be ready to accept you, and that therefore you can also neglect the reforms".

Lora Borissova spoke about the possibilities of comparative analysis of Luxembourg and Montenegro. She also touched upon the issue of regional cooperation, which is a condition for the accession to EU of the West Balkan countries, unlike for the Central European predecessors. "If you are successful in implementing the Stabilization and Association Agreement, you are surely on the right track", pointed Borissova, warning that this is a long process which continues after a country has become a member. She clarified: "European Commission has the possibility of sanctioning the violations of the EU norms by the member states and bringing the state in question before the European Court of Justice". According to her, following the countries which acceded to EU in 2004 and 2007, EC left those countries a little space and time to adjust to their duties, but in the last few months, it has increasingly pressed forth in court cases against them for violating certain criteria (e.g. in the area of environmental protection, intellectual property etc.). It is therefore absolutely necessary that the countries should be well prepared for the membership, she concluded.

Diego Cardenas Ramirez spoke about technical assistance programs of the Institute for Public administration to the candidate countries, which are conducted through expertise consultations and trainings, and are aimed at the civil servants whose task is to lead the European integration processes in a given country. He emphasized "civic participation as one of the important preconditions of success in European integrations", citing Croatia as the most positive example. Speaking about the enlargement, Ramirez stated that "two variables are at play here: widening and deepening", which can be in conflict, although history of the EU has shown that they are in effect complementary more often than not. "The enlargement has almost always been a trigger for further reforms in the EU, as evidenced by the treaties of Nice and Amsterdam", explained Ramirez. Admitting that the "enlargement fatigue" still seems to be the overwhelming sentiment in the EU, he reminded that the celebration of the 50th anniversary changed little in that direction and the declaration developed to commemorate this important date "is not filled with joy and optimism", but represents more "an exercise in lamenting", "text full of holes and without a single constructive proposal for overcoming the crisis".

All the panelists agree that the enlargement fatigue will not have consequences for the Montenegrin road to EU, insisting that Montenegro should simply continue the reforms necessary for joining the EU without worrying much about the current developments in the EU, which is bound to sooner or later settle the matters at home. These are two parallel, unrelated processes, and by the time Montenegro will be ready to join, EU would have surely sorted out its problems, promised the guests.

(reported by Centre for Civic Education)