09 November 2001
At a conference in Athens on November 5–6, the CoR, the body representing European regional and local government, was urged to press ahead with liaison work with candidate countries.
Ismael Olivares Martinez, director of common policies at the European Parliament, indicated that September 11 would reinvigorate interest in the policy and could persuade the more reticent states to support it.
'Enlargement will promote the feeling of security for the people of Europe. A larger, united Europe will be able to react more quickly when threatened,' he said.
Ten countries, including Poland and Cyprus, are due to join by the end of 2003 with Romania and Bulgaria following in 2007.
Martinez warned that any delays would have severe economic and political implications. 'Delays will have significant costs to the single market in Europe,' he said. 'The economies of member states would suffer and it would also discourage foreign investment in applicant countries.'
Lord Hanningfield, chair of the CoR's enlargement group, said the applicant states were traditionally politically centralised and needed more help with training and budgets if they were to contribute to mainstream EU policies.
But Greek ministers warned that there were still critical issues to be solved.
'The numbers of refugees, economic problems and unemployed will intensify under enlargement. The EU must address its policies rapidly,' said Costas Skandalidis, minister of the interior for public administration.
PFnov2001
