Activities of Gisela KALLENBACH related to 2007/2271(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
The Commission's 2007 enlargement strategy paper (debate)
Amendments (16)
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas this strategy cannot therefore be reduced to a simple negotiating methodology but should involve a debate on the Union's objectives, covering both the Union's own future and its role in the neighbourhood and on the world stage,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas these policies should be complementary and mutually permeable, that is to say, should allow a given country to move from one type of contractual relationship with the EU to another, if the necessary internal and external conditions of that country are fulfilled,
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Reaffirms its firm commitment to the countries with which it has started membership negotiations and to the countries which have been given clear membership prospects, with the understanding that candidate countries should fully compliancey with the Copenhagen criteria and compatibility with the Union's integration capacity must be fulfilledthat the Union should ensure that its integration capacity allows for further enlargement before these countries can join the Union;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes the view that the Union's Enlargement Strategy should strike a balance between the Union's geo-strategic interests, and the impact of political developments outside its borders together with the resulting expectations of its neighbouring countries, andincluding the Union's integration capacity including its ability to cope with future internal and external challenges and to realise its political integration project;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that integration capacity reflects the Union's ability at a given point in time to decide and thus to achieve its political objectives, in particular the aim of promoting economic and social progress, territorial cohesion and a high level of employment in its Member States, of asserting its identity and its ability to act on the international scene, of promoting the rights and interests of Member States' nationals, of developing an area of freedom, security and justice, of fully maintaining and building on its acquis communautaire and of upholding fundamental rights and freedoms, as laid down in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Recalls that integration capacity reflects the Union's ability at a given point in time to decide and thus to achieve its political objectives, in particular the aim of promoting economic and social progress and a high level of employment in its Member States, of asserting its identity and its ability to act on the international scene, of promoting the rights and interests of Member States' nationals, of developing an area of freedom, security and justice, of fully maintaining and building on its acquis communautaire and of upholding fundamental rights and freedoms, as laid down in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses that, in order to enhance the credibility and the effectiveness of the enlargement strategy, the Copenhagen criteria must be fully respected and complied with by Member States as well, in order to avoid requiring of applicant countries higher standards than those applied in some parts of the Union;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls, furthermore, that the economic structure and interests of each new Member State could – as was the case with previous enlargements – have an impact on the direction which the Union's policies and budget take and could therefore affect the nature of the Union itself;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Therefore takes the view that every enlargement must be followed by adequate consolidation andt both the political concentrationand institutional level, that is to say, by a serious reassessment of the Union's policies and means in order to ensure consensus around such policies and to focus on objectives which respond to the expectations of our citizens and which guarantee the viability of the Union as a political project;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Believes, moreover, that further enlargements should be accompanied by a concerted communication policy involving all EU Institutions and Member States' Governments, designed to explain to our citizens the political, economic, territorial and social benefits of enlargement;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Takes the view that countries with European prospects should make every effort to explain, involve and prepare their public opinion for integration into the Union, involving civil society in this process from the outset;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Suggests, therefore, that, as regards those eastern neighbours which, in view of their political, economic and social situation and of the Union's current integration capacity, at present do not enjoy membership prospects but at the same time fulfil certain democratic and economic conditions, the Union should establish an area based on common policies covering, in particular, economic and financial issues, trade, energy, transport, infrastructures, environmental issues, the rule of law, justice, security, migration and education; takes the view that these common policies, whilst striving gradually to achieve EU standards and opening the way for closer integration of these countries, should be shaped jointly with the participating countries on the basis of specific decision-making mechanisms, and should be underpinned by adequate financial assistance;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Welcomes in this respect the launch, within the framework of the EU, of the Union for the Mediterranean as a positive step in our relations with the southern neighbours; believes that this new development strengthens the argument in favour of specific contractual multilateral relations with our eastern neighbours, which, compared to their southern partners, have clear European ambitions and perspectives; recalls that, as a first step, these relations should translate themselves into the establishment of a Free Trade Area along with the strengthening of political relations which include the consolidation of democracy, respect for human rights and visa-facilitation regimes, to be followed by closer relations along the lines of a European Economic Area Plus (EEA +), of a European Commonwealth or of specific regional cooperation frameworks, for example in the Black Sea area;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Believes at the same time that countries which enjoy clear membership prospects but still have considerable ground to cover before they can attain the political, economic, territorial and social conditions necessary to achieve candidate status, could usefully benefit from an incremental approach in their EU integration process and that this approach could involve, besides increased assistance and cooperation measures, voluntary participation in arrangements similar to the above bilateral or multilateral framework as an intermediate step towards full membership;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes in this context the Commission Communication on the Western Balkans of 5 March 2008 (COM(2008)0127), which outlines a range of measures for supporting the countries in the region in their efforts towards EU integration and for deepening our relations with them, whether in the areas of trade, energy, education and/or research; stresses, in this respect, that visa liberalisation is an indispensable step in order to make this process more effective; believes that such measures should include also the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Serbia and calls on all Member States to overcome their reservations in this respect;