HomeNewsNews of European unionPES welcomes continued momentum of EU Enlargement Process following release of EU Progress Reports
PES welcomes continued momentum of EU Enlargement Process following release of EU Progress Reports
10.10.2012
On October 10th the European Commission adopted the yearly 'Enlargement package', a set of documents explaining its current policy on the EU enlargement process. This package includes the ‘Progress Reports’, assessing the Western Balkan countries’ achievements towards accession over 2012. It also includes the annual Enlargement Strategy Paper, which sets out the way forward for the coming year.
Kristian Vigenin, Chair of the PES Task Force on Western Balkan Enlargement and PES Presidency Member, stated: “I would like to praise the work of Commissioner Fule. This year’s Progress Reports confirm the positive trends witnessed last year. They show that the EU continues to be able to deliver and that the Enlargement process in the Western Balkans is well under way. This year’s progress reports also address the negative rhetoric on Enlargement by focusing on the real and tangible benefits of accession and its impact in reinforcing the Union’s political and economic strengths. We cannot afford to leave this debate to those who demagogically reject it”.
Mr. Vigenin added: “The successes of Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia in 2012 are there to show that a credible and predictable Enlargement process continues. Today the European Commission also recommends granting EU candidate status to Albania. This is mainly thanks to the renewed political dialogue in the country to which the constructive approach of the Albanian Socialist Party, currently in opposition, has contributed to a large extent. It is crucial to maintain the fundamental link between the reaching of targets and subsequent advancement in the accession process, in order not to frustrate the legitimate aspirations of the peoples of our continent to be together in a common European project. Indeed, there are many positive signals this year but still many challenges remain on the path ahead of us. This is why we must make every effort to use the current momentum as a foundation upon which to build future successes in the Western Balkans”.
The PES continues to be strongly committed to the enlargement process towards the Western Balkans. The PES will monitor closely the recommendations contained in the Progress Reports with its yearly Balkan Conference, its Task Force on Western Balkan Enlargement and its regular delegations in the Balkan countries. At the last Brussels Congress, the PES held a meeting bringing together party leaders from the Balkan region, PES President Sergei Stanishev, S&D Group President Hannes Swoboda and Enlargement Commissioner Fule.