WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1689/98 by Kirsi PIHA to the Commission. Reporting to the European Parliament on the enlargement negotiations
C 13/64 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 18. 1. 1999 (1999/C 13/092) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1689/98 by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission (29 May 1998) Subject: Reporting to the European Parliament on the enlargement negotiations The enlargement negotiations have taken on a more concrete form thanks to the screening process. As the negotiations progress, the European Parliament has been promised a role and a voice in the dialogue. How does the Commission propose to keep Parliament informed of the progress made in the screening process? Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (16 July 1998) As during the previous enlargement negotiations, the Commission will keep the Parliament orally informed of progress in the screening exercise. This includes regular presentations by high level officials to the relevant Parliament committees, joint parliamentary committees and delegations. (1999/C 13/093) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1691/98 by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Council (2 June 1998) Subject: The EUís enlargement eastwards and the role of the European Parliament A concrete beginning has been made in the process of the EUís eastward enlargement in the form of the screening process. When the European Parliament was adopting its report on enlargement the Council Presidency representative promised Parliament a greater role, as enlargement progressed, in the form of a dialogue. Does the Council intend to forward to Parliament the Commissionís information reports on the screening process, and how frequently? Reply (28 /29 September 1998) The Council is aware of the importance the European Parliament attaches to the issue of enlargement and of its role in this process. On the occasion of the Parliamentís discussions on the reinforced pre-accession strategy and, in particular, on the framework regulation establishing the Accession Partnerships, the Council indicated its willingness to keep the Parliament informed on all important developments in the framework of the enlargement process. Such information will be provided by the Presidency of the Council on all available occasions, such as in plenary sessions of the Parliament and before the competent Parliamentary Committees and the Joint Parliamentary Committees. The analytical examination of the áacquisí (screening) is part of the technical preparation for the accession negotiations with Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia. It is also an essential element in the preparation for accession negotiations with Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria. The screening exercise being carried out by the Commission has two main objectives: firstly, to explain what exactly is the áacquisí of the Union, with a view to ensuring that the applicant States are fully aware of the obligations which they will be called upon to accept as future Member States; secondly, to identify possible problems concerning the transposition of the áacquisí. The Commission, which began with the screening of the first chapters of the Union áacquisí on 27 April 1998, is proceeding sector by sector, concentrating, in the initial phase, on those which, in its view, pose the fewest potential problems. Despite the very tight timetable of the Commission, the screening exercise is not expected to end before the middle of 1999. The Commission regularly informs the relevant Council bodies on the progress of screening