Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have a very broad agenda from the European Council to discuss and I can only deal with a few issues. First, I wish to hear a little bit more about what exactly is understood by the European political community. A preliminary discussion was had about it. In the Council conclusions, such a community was described as an aim to "foster political dialogue and cooperation to address issues of common interest so as to strengthen the security, stability and prosperity of the European continent". It is a sort of response to the initial French view that there should be some sort of second tier of European Union, where people would not sign up to the acquiscommunautaireor be subject to the institutions of Europe but would, somehow, be tied in to a broader concept of Europe. It is a very nebulous thought right now and some of our fears of a two-tier Europe are still a cause for concern. I ask the Minister of State to flesh out what he understands the political community to be and what his and Ireland's attitude is to how it might develop.

Second, our ongoing solidarity and the very strong solidarity of the European Union with the people of Ukraine are very important indeed and the preparation of a seventh package of sanctions is to be welcomed. We have to understand, however, that it has consequences for us and those need to be spelled out and prepared for. The issue of food security and the impact of the land-locking of Ukraine and its very significant world production of wheat, maize and sunflower seeds were discussed by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs this morning, with the representatives of the European Commission. It is quite clear that alternative paths are being looked at to export those products from Ukraine, but the capacity will be, at best, a fraction of what it is when the Black Sea ports are used. I would be interested to hear exactly how the Minister of State thinks progress is being made with regard to opening the Black Sea ports.

I know the conclusions said that we were supporting the initiatives of the UN and Turkey in that regard, but unless we open channels of export from the Black Sea, barges or trains will not be able to replace anything approaching the production capacity of food from Ukraine. Although we are assured that it will have no food impact on the Continent of Europe, it certainly will have an impact on east Africa, in particular, and on the Middle East. We need to ensure that while we protect ourselves in terms of food security, it is not done to impact on world wheat or grain markets in a way that would impoverish or bring famine to other parts of the globe.

Third, I will raise the enlargement of the European Union. Obviously, I warmly welcome the decision to give candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. We visited Moldova. There is an understanding that this is not an instant process. It is a slow process, but these countries wish to feel embraced and on track to be part of the European family and that they would be supported in developing their own systems to ensure that they measure up, if you like, to the standards we would expect of all EU member states, on a reasonable timeline. Obviously, Georgia has its own set of problems but it too has to be embraced and not allowed, if you like, to drift away from the European family and be embraced by others.

The final point I will make is on the Western Balkans. We cannot leave those countries, which have a real expectation of membership, leap-frogged or out of focus. I hope that the Minister of State would give us a very clear timeline of his expectations for the Western Balkan countries to join the EU on a horizon that is within reach.

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